ENVIRONMENTAL: EIS for Jansen potash project gets okay

SASKATCHEWAN - The Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment has approved the environmental impact statement (EIS) filed by BHP Billiton for the Jansen potash project near Lanigan. The EIS was submitted for technical review and public comment in December 2010.

BHP Billiton expects Jansen to make a substantial long term contribution to both local communities and the province. The project is expected to employ an average of 1,900 people during construction and create approximately 1,000 operational jobs once the mine has reached full capacity.

BHP Billiton also expects to pay approximately $90 billion in royalties and taxes to the municipal, provincial and federal governments over the decades in which Jansen operates. Approximately 65% of those payments will be in Saskatchewan.

In June 2011, the BHP Billiton board approved a further US$488 investment for project development. Based on the current timeline, the Jansen mine could begin production in 2015. The total pre-production spending for the project is expected to be US$1.2 billion.

More information can be found at www.BHPBilliton.com.