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Potash project moves to next stage

A mining project in the area has completed another step on its way to production. BHP Billiton submitted the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed Jansen Potash Project to the provincial Ministry of Environment last month.
By Pat Peckover Journal Staff Writer Journal.Reporter1@Sasktel.Net
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Four drilling rigs are now up and running at the Jansen Lake project southeast of LeRoy. The rigs will be drilling 80 holes around the production shaft area and the mine service shaft which will eventually hold freeze pipes to freeze the ground. BHP submitted their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to the provincial government in December and expects to make a decision on whether or not to proceed with the mine this year.photo by Pat Peckover


A mining project in the area has completed another step on its way to production.
BHP Billiton submitted the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed Jansen Potash Project to the provincial Ministry of Environment last month.
BHP has prepared a detailed EIS that assesses potential effects of the Jansen Project and shows how BHP has designed the project to maximize socio-economic opportunities while minimizing environmental effects.
The EIS will be released by the ministry for public comment once the document has been reviewed and deemed complete. BHP expects this to occur some time in the first half of 2011.
"We believe the Jansen Project is a wonderful opportunity for BHP Billiton and Saskatchewan," said Graham Kerr, president of BHP Billiton Diamonds and Specialty Products. "Jansen is world class ore body and the project fits our strategy of owning and operating large, long-life, low-cost assets. Jansen is the first and the most advanced of our potash growth options."
The mine, once completed would be the world's largest potash mine in terms of production.
Drilling has started at Jansen in preparation for the ground freezing process which is required to sink the production and service shafts.