The Jansen potash mine will be built.
Earlier in August, reports came out that the mining giant BHP Billiton was delaying a final decision on whether to proceed with their proposed potash mine at Jansen.
Representatives of BHP Billiton have explained this does not mean the mine will not go through. The reports came from the company's preliminary results for the year ending June 30, 2012.
"Jansen is progressing," said Bronwyn Wilkinson of BHP in an e-mail to the Journal. "While (CEO Marius) Kloppers has indicated no major projects will be approved in the 2013 financial year, existing pre-commitment funding on Jansen will enable us to further advance the project through this year as we work through the final engineering design and mining lease conversions that are required before we take the project to our board."
Basically, the company does not expect it will approve spending on major projects for this fiscal year, but that does not mean the Jansen mine will not go ahead.
Wilkinson explained work will continue on the mine, but the board has not approved the full project yet.
Work has been continuing at the Jansen mine. Since BHP decided to increase the size of the initial phase, it will require them to do further extensive engineering design, such as surface infrastructure.
"While we complete the final engineering for the larger facility we will continue to prepare the site, continue the shaft excavation and build the camp site," said Wilkinson.
There are 400 people on site to continue work on the project, said Wilkinson. They will continue excavation on the two shafts for production and service and the freeze program is also progressing well.
"We are continuing to explore the basin and we see Jansen as the first project in what will eventually become a large business for BHP Billiton based in Saskatchewan," said Wilkinson.
