BIL
 BIBLT                                                                           
BIL - BHP Billiton Plc - BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance notifies customers of 
Force Majeure                                                                   
BHP Billiton Plc                                                                
Share code:BIL                                                                  
ISIN:GB0000566504                                                               
NEWS RELEASE                                                                    
24 January 2008                                                                 
Number 04/08                                                                    
BHP BILLITON MITSUBISHI ALLIANCE NOTIFIES CUSTOMERS OF FORCE MAJEURE            
The recent extreme weather across the central Queensland coalfields has impacted
production from BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) operations.              
While we are continuing to assess the full impact of the weather and achieve a  
safe resumption of operations, coal processing and the loading of vessels will  
be delayed.                                                                     
As a result, BMA has advised customers that we have declared force majeure.     
We will continue to work with our customers and inform them of our return to    
full operations and production and the lifting of force majeure.                
Further information on BHP Billiton can  United Kingdom                         
be found on our Internet site:           Andre Liebenberg, Investor Relations   
www.bhpbilliton.comAustralia             Tel: +44 20 7802 4131  Mobile: +44     
Samantha Evans, Media Relations          7920 236 974                           
Tel: +61 3 9609 2898  Mobile: +61 400    Email:Andre.Liebenberg@bhpbilliton.com 
693 915                                                                         
Email: Samantha.Evans@bhpbilliton.com                                           
Don Carroll, Investor Relations          Illtud Harri, Media Relations          
Tel: +61 3 9609 2686  Mobile: +61 417    Tel: +44 20 7802 4195  Mobile: +44     
591 938                                  7920 237 246                           
Email: Don.A.Carroll@bhpbilliton.com     Email: Illtud.Harri@bhpbilliton.com    
                                        South Africa                            
United States Tracey Whitehead, Investor Alison Gilbert, Investor Relations     
& Media Relations                        Tel: SA +27 11 376 2121 or UK +44 20   
Tel: US +1 713 599 6100 or UK +44 20     7802 4183Mobile: +44 7769 936          
7802 4031Mobile: +44 7917 648 093        227Email:                              
Email:Tracey.Whitehead@bhpbilliton.com   Alison.Gilbert@bhpbilliton.com         
                                                                                
Date: 24/01/2008 07:12:50 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.