BHP has extended its collaboration with Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions by ordering three additional underground continuous mining systems for the second phase of the Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan. Valued at approximately $249 million, the systems will be delivered between 2028 and 2029. In 2022, BHP had contracted Sandvik for four systems for the project’s first phase.
Each continuous mining system includes a Sandvik MF460 borer miner and a Sandvik PO140 extendable conveyor, capable of cutting up to 6.3 metres wide and 4.36 metres high, and can produce between 1,300 and 1,500 tonnes of potash per hour. Sandvik’s system is said to double the industry benchmark for tonnes per hour. The partnership began in 2010 when BHP approached Sandvik to solve material handling challenges, leading to the development of these systems.
The Jansen project is expected to become one of the world’s largest potash mines, with production starting in 2026. Once fully operational, it will produce up to 8.5 million tonnes of potash annually.
