BHP chief commercial operator (CCO) Rag Udd joined a panel to discuss Canada’s generational opportunity as a leader in critical minerals on March 4.
Udd joined the panel as BHP’s $C14 billion investment in the Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan becomes the largest investment in BHP’s history and the largest single investment in Saskatchewan’s history.
“Capital will flow to stable fiscal and regulatory environments – and today this is a major competitive advantage for Canada,” Udd said.
“As the race for critical minerals intensifies, for Canada to remain a global leader, we need to think beyond the attraction of the initial investment and to how workforces, communities and infrastructure are advancing to support industry and enable Canada’s competitiveness.
“This includes how we are building diverse talent pipelines and the infrastructure needed for communities to fully participate in the economic benefits mining brings.”
Potash is a key ingredient in fertilisers and is critical for global food security to support the world’s growing population.
Jansen is expected to produce approximately 10 per cent of the world’s potash and be among the top five producers by volume globally.
“We are facing a qualified trade skills shortage in Canada and we need to raise the profile of the trades as a rewarding career choice and attract diverse talent into the field,” Udd said.
“This a logical place for public and private partnership where industry can bring the technical focus and government can bring the policy implementation.”
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