Australian mining firm BHP Billiton has committed US$240 million to move toward entering potash mining in near Jansen, Saskatchewan, Canada. The company is now in the final stages of a “pre-feasibility” study for project designed to produce about eight million tonnes of farming-grade potash per year, the company said in a release Wednesday. “The Jansen project is the first phase of what we expect to be our strong presence in the potash sector,” said a Billiton’s executive. … At least one potash market analyst suggests Billiton could bring a powerful mining player into a market now shared by just a few firms including Saskatoon’s PotashCorp and Minneapolis-based Mosaic.
