BHP has awarded Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions a major contract for three additional underground continuous mining systems for its Jansen Potash Stage 2 project in Saskatchewan, Canada.
The contract follows several years of close collaboration and the ongoing execution of the Jansen Potash Stage 1 project, for which BHP awarded Sandvik a contract to supply four potash underground continuous mining systems in 2022. Deliveries of the systems for Jansen Potash Stage 2 are expected to begin in 2028 and continue through 2029.
Each mining system consists of a cable-powered Sandvik MF460 borer miner and a Sandvik PO140 extendable conveyor continuous haulage system. Sandvik MF460 will cut widths of 6.3 meters and heights of up to 4.36 meters per cut, with one cut and return cut up to 2 kilometers in length. Each integrated system is capable of producing around 1,300-1,500 tons per hour.
The Jansen project has the potential to be the largest potash-producing mine in the world, providing a rich source of potassium, a key ingredient in fertilizer, and supporting global food production.