POTASH MINES AND MINING – CANADA

Standoff with China buyer is hurting iron ore prices: BHP

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 21-Jan-26

BHP has advised that its iron ore division achieved an average realised price of $US84.71 per tonne in the December quarter. This is four per cent higher than the same period in 2024, although it represents a large discount to the benchmark price. BHP is continuing to hold talks with state-run iron ore trader China Mineral Resources Group on annual contract terms, and BHP has acknowledged that the long-running dispute has affected the price it receives for the iron ore it ships from the Pilbara. BHP has also advised that the first stage of its Jansen potash project in Canada is now expected to cost $US8.4bn ($12.5bn); this compares with a previous forecast of between $US7bn and $US7.4bn.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, CHINA MINERAL RESOURCES GROUP COMPANY LIMITED

Rout offers BHP a fast-track for potash decision

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 & 18 : 16-Mar-20

BHP is due to decide by February 2021 whether to spend at least $US5.3 billion on developing the Jansen potash project in Canada. However, the coronavirus outbreak has given it the opportunity to immediately become a potash producer by launching a takeover bid for Canadian miner Mosaic. The outbreak has seen Mosaic’s shares fall by 50 per cent in the past two months, making it cheaper for BHP to acquire it than to develop Jansen, which would be unlikely to commence production until 2026.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, THE MOSAIC COMPANY

BHP holds out against activist push

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 18-Oct-19

BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie has defended its membership of mining industry groups such as the Minerals Council of Australia and associated entities like Coal 21, amid growing pressure from activist groups and shareholders. Meanwhile, BHP has advised that scheduled maintenance work at Port Hedland resulted in its Pilbara iron ore production falling three per cent to 69 million tonnes in the September quarter. BHP has also approved additional expenditure of $US344m on the Jansen potash project in Canada, ahead of a final investment decision in February 2021.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, COAL 21

Potash bull sees upside in BHP push at Jansen

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 22-Aug-19

BHP expects to have a capital expenditure budget of about $US8bn for fiscal 2021, and CEO Andrew Mackenzie has indicated that less than $US500m will be allocated to the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia and the Jansen potash project in Canada. A decision on whether to proceed with the Jansen project is likely within 18 months. Getting it to the production stage is slated to cost between $US5.3bn and $US5.7bn, and Tal Lomnitzer of Janus Henderson says rising global demand for food means the project will deliver long-term benefits for BHP and its shareholders.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, JANUS HENDERSON GROUP PLC – ASX JHG, ELLIOTT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

BHP faces call for write-down as Rio advances potash dream

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 3-Jun-19

BHP is slated to decide within 18 months if it will commit an additional $US5.5bn to the first stage of its Jansen potash project in Canada. CEO Andrew Mackenzie recently told investors that BHP has overinvested in the project to date, and James Gurry of Deutsche Bank says it may be a good time for BHP to review the carrying value of Jansen. He adds that there is potential for an initial impairment of around $US1.2bn ($1.7bn). Meanwhile, Rio Tinto’s Albany potash joint venture in Canada could commence production within two years.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, JSC AKRON

BHP warned of potash mission impossible

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian – Page: 19 & 24 : 20-May-19

BHP recently advised that the first stage of its proposed $US5.7 billion ($8.3 billion) Jansen potash project in Canada will produce 10 per cent more a year than previously forecast, but that it will cost around 10 per cent more to construct. Green Markets research director Alexis Maxwell says rival potash producers would seek to keep prices sufficiently low so that BHP did not have sufficient incentive to develop Jansen, while JP Morgan analyst Lyndon Fagan says BHP is using unrealistically high potash prices to justify the economics of Jansen. BHP is expected to make a decision on whether to proceed with Jansen within 18 months.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, GREEN MARKETS, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED

As decision looms, BHP’s potash passion play fades – for now

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Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 22 : 18-Mar-19

It is estimated that commencing production at BHP’s Jansen potash project in Canada will require a capital investment of about $US5bn ($7bn). BHP has yet to make a firm commitment to the project, and observers say the resources group cannot continue to postpone a decision indefinitely. On one hand, potash is likely to be a boom commodity in coming years as demand for agricultural crops in regions such as Asia grows. However, the Jansen project will deliver relatively low returns for BHP investors, while global supply of potash is increasing.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, POTASH CORPORATION OF SASKATCHEWAN INCORPORATED

BHP puts off potash mining plans

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 20 : 28-Aug-18

BHP Billiton advised in its 2017-18 full-year report that it now expects global demand for potash to exceed supply by the mid-to-late 2020s, having forecast in 2017 that there would be a demand-supply imbalance by the mid-2020s. As a result, the timeline for development of BHP’s Jansen potash deposit in Canada remains uncertain. BHP is close to completing two kilometre-deep shafts at the Jansen project in preparation for the commencement of mining, but the shafts will then be mothballed until market dynamics make development appropriate.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP