Notice of Dividend Currency Exchange Rate (South African Rand) - 2015 Interim Dividend BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209 Registered in England and Wales Share code: BIL ISIN: GB0000566504 Company Secretariat 6 March 2015 To: JSE Limited London Stock Exchange NOTICE OF DIVIDEND CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE (SOUTH AFRICAN RAND) – 2015 INTERIM DIVIDEND Name of entity BHP Billiton Plc REG NO 3196209 On 24 February 2015 we determined to pay an interim dividend for the half year ended 31 December 2014 of 62 US cents per share. The currency exchange rate applicable for the dividend payable in South African cents to shareholders on the BHP Billiton Plc branch register is set out below: Dividend 62 US cents Exchange rate Dividend per ordinary share in per share local currency South African cents 11.797900 731.469800 The exchange rates applicable to the BHP Billiton dividend being paid in other currencies will be based on the foreign currency exchange rates on the Record Date, being 13 March 2015, and will be announced to the market. BHP Billiton Plc shareholders registered on the South African section of the register will not be able to dematerialise or rematerialise their shareholdings between the dates of 9 and 13 March 2015, both dates inclusive, nor will transfers between the UK register and the South African register be permitted between the dates of 6 and 13 March 2015, both dates inclusive. The dividend will be paid on 31 March 2015. Rachel Agnew Company Secretary Sponsor: Merrill Lynch South Africa Proprietary Limited BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209 Registered in England and Wales Registered Office: Neathouse Place, London SW1V 1LH United Kingdom A member of the BHP Billiton Group which is headquartered in Australia NOTE: Additional information required by the JSE Listing Requirements 1. Dividend Tax will be withheld from the amount of the gross final dividend of 109.720470 South African cents per ordinary share paid to shareholders on the South African branch register at the rate of 15 per cent, unless a shareholder qualifies for an exemption. 2. After the Dividend Tax has been withheld, the net dividend will be 621.749330 South African cents per ordinary share. 3. BHP Billiton Plc had a total of 2,112,071,796 ordinary shares in issue at the dividend determination date of 24 February 2015. 4. With specific reference to South Africa, BHP Billiton Plc, as a non-resident, was not subject to the secondary tax on companies (STC) regime which used to be applicable and therefore no STC credits are available for set-off against the Dividend Tax liability on the final dividend. The dividend will be paid out of retained earnings. 5. For the avoidance of doubt, Dividend Tax, and therefore the information provided in this announcement, is of only direct application to shareholders on the South African branch register. Shareholders on the South African branch register should direct any questions regarding the application of the Dividend Tax to: BHP Billiton Plc Branch Registrar and Transfer Secretary Computershare Investor Services (Pty) Limited 70 Marshall Street Johannesburg 2001 Postal Address – PO Box 61051 Marshalltown 2107 Telephone +27 11 373 0033 Facsimile +27 11 688 5218 Email enquiries: web.queries@computershare.co.za Holders of shares dematerialised into STRATE should contact their CSDP or stockbroker. 2 Date: 06/03/2015 12:20:00 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.