Sandvik-BHP partnership on Jansen potash mining systems in Canada

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 Jansen project has the potential to be the largest potash-producing mine in the world.

This 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.

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions president Mats Eriksson says “we are proud to continue our partnership with BHP and strengthen our collaboration further with this new order for three additional systems”.

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 6.3m and heights of up to 4.36m per cut, with one cut and return cut up to 2km in length.

Each integrated system is capable of producing around 1,300-1,500tph.

BHP commissioned Sandvik to do the engineering design of Sandvik MF460 from 2010 to 2012.

With the borer miner’s high-volume production creating a materials handling challenge, BHP also commissioned Sandvik to concept design and test a simple version of Sandvik PO140 in 2014.

Following successful testing, BHP and Sandvik signed a manufacturing and testing agreement for one Sandvik MF460 and one Sandvik PO140 in 2016.

The complete system proved highly productive during tests at SWS (Südwestdeutsche Salzwerke AG) salt mine in Germany from 2018 to 2021, doubling the industry benchmark for tons per hour.

Improvements were identified and designed to further increase the system’s productivity and reliability, including installing ground support roof boltings while cutting and loading, reducing turnaround and relocation time and remote operations potential.

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions mechanical cutting president Thomas Vallant says “development of this revolutionary potash mining system is the result of more than 15 years of close collaboration between Sandvik and BHP”.

“Sandvik MF460 is the ideal combination of precision and efficiency and will provide improved productivity and reliability for the Jansen projects for years to come,” he said.