Sharenet Sites 
Sharenet Sites
BIL - BHP Billiton Plc - Significant commitment to Olympic Dam expansion BHP Billiton Plc Share code: BIL ISIN: GB0000566504 12 October 2011 SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENT TO OLYMPIC DAM EXPANSION BHP Billiton announced today approval for US$1.2 billion in pre-commitment capital for the first phase of the Olympic Dam Project to develop an open pit mine in South Australia. The funding will facilitate the procurement of long lead items such as trucks and accommodation, infrastructure development and early site works for the first phase of the Olympic Dam Project. The majority of the pre-commitment capital is conditional on the successful passage of the Indenture agreement through the South Australian Parliament. The first phase of the Olympic Dam Project is currently in feasibility and its progression into execution remains dependant on the completion of all required studies and Board approval, which is likely to be sought by mid next calendar year. BHP Billiton Chief Executive Officer, Marius Kloppers, said: "The pre- commitment funding is another important milestone in the development of this world class ore-body. "Given the quality of this resource, the Olympic Dam Project team is completing studies to create one of the world`s largest open pit mines with the potential to increase copper production from around 180,000 tonnes per annum to 750,000 tonnes per annum and beyond." On 10 October BHP Billiton received environmental approvals for the project from the Government of South Australia and the Commonwealth following assessment of its draft and supplementary Environmental Impact Statements. Further information on BHP Billiton can be found at: www.bhpbilliton.com Sponsor: Absa Capital (the investment banking division of Absa Bank Limited, affiliated with Barclays Capital) Media Relations Investor Relations Australia Australia
Samantha Stevens James Agar Tel: +61 3 9609 2898 Tel: +61 3 9609 2222 Mobile: +61 400 693 915 Mobile: +61 467 807 064 email: email: James.Agar@bhpbilliton.com Samantha.Stevens@bhpbilliton.com Andrew Gunn Kelly Quirke Tel: +61 3 9609 3575 Tel: +61 3 9609 2896 Mobile: +61 439 558 454 Mobile: +61 429 966 312 email: Andrew.Gunn@bhpbilliton.com email: Kelly.Quirke@bhpbilliton.com United Kingdom and South Africa
Fiona Martin Tel: +61 3 9609 2211 Brendan Harris Mobile: +61 427 777 908 Tel: +44 20 7802 4131 email: Fiona.Martin2@bhpbilliton.comMobile: +44 7990 527 726 United Kingdom and Americas email: Brendan.Harris@bhpbilliton.com
Ruban Yogarajah Americas Tel: US +1 713 966 2907 or Scott Espenshade UK +44 20 7802 4033 Mobile: UK +44 7827 082 022 Tel: +1 713 599 6431 email: Mobile: +1 713 208 8565 Ruban.Yogarajah@bhpbilliton.com email: Scott.Espenshade@bhpbilliton.com BHP Billiton Limited BHP Billiton Plc ABN 49 004 028 077 Registration number 3196209 Registered in Australia Registered in England and Wales Registered Office: Registered Office: Neathouse Place 180 Lonsdale Street London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia Tel +44 20 7802 4000 Tel +61 1300 55 4757 Fax +44 20 7802 4111 Fax +61 3 9609 3015 Members of the BHP Billiton Group which is headquartered in Australia Date: 12/10/2011 07:06:20 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited (`JSE`). The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers, employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature, howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on, information disseminated through SENS.
