In the largest donation in Telethon history, BHP Billiton has committed $20 million over the next five years to the Telethon Kids Institute to improve the health and wellbeing of children in Western Australia.

In response to the widespread devastation caused by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities has donated US$400,000 to the Pooled World Health Organisation (WHO) Ebola Response fund.

Companies seek to build a mutually beneficial long-term relationship

Marianne Finch may only be a rookie at the controls of Dragline 13 but as Saraji’s first female Dragline Trainee, she has a strong message for her female colleagues in the mining industry: “Don’t take no for an answer”.

BHP Billiton announced today that it has appointed Ian Maxwell as President Energy Coal. The appointment follows the move of Jimmy Wilson from Energy Coal to take up the position of President Iron Ore, announced on 30 March.

BHP Billiton approved today a US$822 million (BHP Billiton share US$698 million) investment for the development of its Orebody 24 mine, located approximately 10 kilometres north-east of Newman, Western Australia. Orebody 24 is a sustaining mine to maintain iron ore production output from the Newman Joint Venture operations. The new Orebody 24 mine will have a capacity of 17 million tonnes per annum (100 per cent basis) and will include the construction of an ore crushing plant, train loadout facility, rail spur and other associated support facilities. Initial mining from Orebody 24 will start in the second half of calendar year 2012.

BHP Billiton today announced that the partners of Samarco had approved the US$3.5 billion (BHP Billiton share1 US$1.75 billion) Fourth Pellet Plant Project at Samarco (Brazil). The expansion will increase Samarco iron ore pellet production capacity by 8.3 million tonnes to 30.5 million tonnes per annum (100% basis). First pellet production is expected in the first half of calendar year 2014. BHP Billiton President Iron Ore, Ian Ashby, said “Samarco is a low cost supplier of high quality iron ore pellets and over the last several years has been very successful in growing its resource base. This investment builds on its resource and operational strengths and will further improve Samarco’s competitiveness and market position.”

BHP Billiton today announced approval for the Escondida Ore Access project (EOA), the first of a number of development options that will underline Escondida’s status as the world’s premier copper operation. The EOA project will relocate the crushing and conveying facilities currently located inside Escondida’s main pit to improve access to higher grade ore and thereby support higher production from 2013. The project is expected to cost US$554 million (US$319 million BHP Billiton share) and will be completed by mid calendar year 2012.