UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
November 3, 2008
| BHP BILLITON LIMITED (ABN 49 004 028 077) (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) |
BHP BILLITON PLC (REG. NO. 3196209) (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) | |
| VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organisation)
180 LONSDALE STREET, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA 3000 AUSTRALIA (Address of principal executive offices) |
ENGLAND AND WALES (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organisation)
NEATHOUSE PLACE, VICTORIA, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (Address of principal executive offices) | |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:
[x] Form 20-F [ ] Form 40-F
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): [ ]
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: [ ] Yes [x] No
If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): n/a
Australian Site Tour Mt Keith Operation
Jaco Harwig
General Manager
28 October 2008
Important notices
Reliance on third party information The views expressed here contain information that have been derived from publicly available sources that have not been independently verified. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information. This presentation should not be relied upon as a recommendation or forecast by BHP Billiton.
Forward looking statements
This presentation includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding future events and the future financial performance of BHP Billiton. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees or predictions of future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, and which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements contained in this presentation. For more detail on those risks, you should refer to the sections of our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended 30 June 2008 entitled “Risk factors”, “Forward looking statements” and “Operating and financial review and prospects” filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
No offer of securities
Nothing in this release should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell BHP Billiton securities in any jurisdiction.
Cautionary Note to US Investors
The SEC generally permits mining companies in their filings with the SEC to disclose only those mineral deposits that the company can economically and legally extract. Certain terms in this presentation, including “resources” and “deposits” would not generally be permitted in an SEC filing. The material denoted by such terms is not proven or probable Reserves as such terms are used in the SEC’s Industry Guide 7, and there can be no assurance that BHP Billiton will be able to convert such material to proven or probable Reserves or extract such material economically. BHP Billiton urges investors to refer to its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008 for its most recent statement of mineral Reserves calculated in accordance with Industry Guide 7.
Competent Persons for Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves are named in the BHP Billiton Annual Report 2008, which can be viewed at www.bhpbilliton.com. Phil Hopkins (Resource and Reserves), who is a member of AusIMM and full time employee of BHP Billiton and has the required qualifications and experience, verifies that the relevant content of this document is based on and fairly reflects the information in the supporting documentation relating to Resources and Reserves.
Slide 2
Agenda
Key Messages
Sustainability Business Overview Growth Options
Slide 3
Key messages
Increasing mining rate to compensate for increased strip ratio
Processing plant improvements to treat talc ores
Owner operator
Growth options
Slide 4
Agenda
Key Messages
Sustainability Business Overview Growth Options
Slide 5
Zero Harm – our focus
Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate
We are determined to improve our safety
(TRIFR)
performance through:
– Continued implementation of Fatal
Risk Control Protocols
– An emphasis on field leadership 5 and operational discipline
– In-pit monitoring using radars
– Pit fleet boarding ramps to reduce personnel-equipment interaction
– Targeted programs to reduce the incidence of soft tissue injuries
Boarding ramp
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008
25 20 15 10 0
Slide 6
People
Current Workforce:
Nickel West Staff: 285 15% Female and 85% Male
Contractors: 786
12% Female and 88% Male
Total Workforce: 1071 3% Indigenous
Key Diversity Strategies:
Work Readiness Programs
Indigenous Participation Strategy
A proactive recruitment model based on promoting diversity
Slide 7
Owner operation transition
Mount Keith Mining Alliance commenced in March 2003
Strategic decision transition to owner operation
Modelled on Leinster success
Business Benefits
– Zero Harm culture
– Direct operational control
– Reduced turnover
– Cost benefit (approx US$7m pa)
Completion of transition March 2009
Slide 8
Agenda
Key Messages
Sustainability Business Overview Growth Options
Slide 9
Mount Keith mine and concentrator
Mine
Open cut nickel mine
Reserves¹ of 164 mt @ 0.57% Ni
Mining rate of 38.8mbcm in FY2008
Expanded fleet capacity in FY 2009
Mine life of over 14 years
Concentrator
Ore throughput capacity ~11.5 mtpa
Recovery of 65%
Production
30-45 ktpa Ni in concentrate @ ~20% Ni grade
1. Total; full details available in the BHP Billiton Annual Report 2008
Hitachi EX 8000 Shovel
Slide 10
Mount Keith mine
Increase in the fleet size as the pit Mining Rates expands and gets deeper
(Million BCM)
Accelerated stripping to expose 50 more ore
Increased continuity and reliability
of ore for the processing plant
Blending opportunities to improve 0 the management of head grade,
throughput and recovery
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008
40 30 20 10
Slide 11
Positioned for success
The first Hitachi EX8000 and the build team.
Hours Average age of trucks
25,000 23,000 21,000
19,000 FRCP Compliant 793 Haul Truck
17,000 15,000
Slide 12 2006 2007 2008
Mount Keith optimisation – maximising value
Additional 120,000m of drilling data resulted in greater understanding of resource
Optimised economic value for business via new mine design
Final result:
1. Managed underlap between Stages G and H in FY2011 and 2012; and
2. Strip ratio and ore generation more consistent.
Slide 13
FY2008 Cost structure
Cash operating cost (%)
Royalties
Administration 1% 4%
Processing 22%
Mining 73%
Cost Reduction Initiatives
Transition to owner-operator
Increase in tyre life from 2,700 hours to 7,000 hours
Diesel consumption reduction through use of catalyst and improved equipment operation
Efficient reagent addition – on-stream analysis.
Slide 14
Agenda
Key Messages
Sustainability Business Overview Growth Options
Slide 15
Mount Keith growth options
Talc Redesign
Improved recovery of nickel
Increased viability of other deposits.
Satellite ore bodies
Significant growth potential
Exploration and definition drilling under way.
Ground Control Radar
Slide 16
Talc Redesign – unlocking value
Talc Ore - before...
Talc Ore - Pilot Plant
Conventional Process BHP Billiton’s Talc Redesign
Creates value through allowing treatment of otherwise difficult to treat ore
Increased recovery for Talc/Nickel ores
Access to Talc/Nickel ore in stockpiles
Makes other resources commercially feasible
BHP Billiton proprietary technology
Slide 17
Conclusion
Increasing mining rate to compensate for increased strip ratio
Processing plant improvements to treat talc ores
Owner operator
Growth options
Slide 18
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc | ||||||
| Date: 3 November 2008 | By: | Jane McAloon | ||||
|
| ||||||
| Name: | Jane McAloon | |||||
| Title: | Group Company Secretary | |||||