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Jansen mine moving ahead

BHP investment cements the future of Jansen mine, local growth

Aug 17, 2021 | 2:00 PM

BHP announced further investment into the Jansen Potash Mine project with a total $12 billion expected to be spent on the new mine.

To date, $5 billion has been spent on construction of the mine located 45 minutes from Humboldt with an additional $7.5 billion in investments announced today to complete the project.

Brent Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce, told northeastNOW that there has been a lot of breath-holding in the last decade as uncertainty lingered around the Jansen mine.

Fitzpatrick is happy to see that BHP now has the confidence to move forward.

“It’s just amazing to have BHP see the confidence in that industry which is going to have such a far and deep reaching impact on this region,” he said.

Every business owner is going to be impacted by the 3,500 jobs created by the construction and the 600 direct jobs at the mine site once the operation is up and running, said Fitzpatrick, and they have been watching the headlines.

“Those people (construction and the eventual mine workers) buy groceries and they get their hair done, they have their taxes done, they buy cars, they buy stuff. The impact is going to be almost immediate and it’s going to be widespread.”

The Saskatchewan government is also celebrating the news, stating in a recent press release that this is the biggest economic investment in Saskatchewan’s history. Energy and Resources minister Bronwyn Eyre echoed the impact the mine will have on the region, as well as the province.

“The positive economic impact of this decision for our province cannot be overstated, as the Jansen mine will generate tens of billions of dollars in taxes and royalties and create thousands of quality jobs for the people of Saskatchewan.”

The Jansen mine is expected to produce 4.4 million tonnes of potash per year with operation expected to begin in 2027.

becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim

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