Anglo-Australian mining company BHP Billiton has approved an investment of US$5.1 billion in Canada's Jansen Stage 1 (Jansen S1) potash project. The underground potash development project is located in a steppe evaporite formation in Saskatchewan, with a depth of 900 meters to 1,000 meters.

The construction of the first phase of the project is expected to take about six years, and the first batch of ore is planned to be produced in 2027. After the construction is completed, the project will be constructed and produced for a period of two years. Jansen S1 is expected to produce nearly 4.35 million tons of potash per year. Jansen is located in one of the major potash basins in the world and is expected to operate for up to 100 years.

The company stated that it has completed nearly 50% of all the engineering required for the Jansen S1 project. BHP Billiton CEO Mike Henry said that Jensen is in line with the company's strategy of increasing exposure to future-oriented commodities among its world-class assets. The first phase of the Jansen project includes the design, engineering and construction of underground potash mines and surface infrastructure, including processing facilities, product storage buildings, and continuous automated rail loading systems. The project also includes funding for port infrastructure to ship products from Jansen S1 to export markets through Westshore Port in the British Columbia Delta.

The Jansen S1 project is expected to convert approximately 20% of 5.23 billion tons of measured and indicated mineral resources into ore reserves. Henry added: In addition to the advantages of being an independent project, Jensen also brings a series of high-return growth options in an attractive investment jurisdiction.

Keywords: overseas engineering, international engineering construction, foreign engineering construction news

When developing the Jensen project, BHP Billiton has been actively engaging and cooperating with indigenous people and local communities, as well as the provincial and federal governments. Jansen’s design focuses on sustainability, including design for low greenhouse gas emissions and low water consumption.Editor/XuNing