Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions will supply BHP with three additional underground continuous mining systems for stage two of its Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada.
This contract follows years of close collaboration and the ongoing execution between the two companies at stage one of the Jansen project.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with BHP and strengthen our collaboration further with this new order for three additional systems,” Sandvik president Mats Eriksson said.
Delivery of the systems is expected to begin in 2028 and will continue until 2029, with the machinery made up by 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 up to 2km in length. Each integrated system can produce around 1300–1500 tonnes per hour.
Between 2010 and 2012, BHP previously commissioned Sandvik to do the engineering design of the Sandvik MF460.
With high-volume production from the borer miner creating a materials challenge, BHP also appointed Sandvik to concept design and test a simple version of Sandvik PO140 in 2014.
After positive test results, BHP and Sandvik signed a manufacturing and testing agreement for one Sandvik MF460 and one Sandvik PO140 in 2016.
The system proved highly productive during tests at the SWS (Südwestdeutsche Salzwerke AG) salt mine in Germany from 2018 to 2021, doubling the industry benchmark for tonnes per hour.
Sanvik made improvements to the design 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.
“Development of this revolutionary potash mining system is the result of more than 15 years of close collaboration between Sandvik and BHP,” Sandvik mechanical cutting president Thomas Vallant said.
“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.”
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