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BIL
BIBLT
BIL - BHP Billiton Plc - BHP Billiton notes announcement by Canadian Minister of
Industry
BHP Billiton Plc
Share code: BIL
ISIN: GB0000566504
Date: 4 November 2010
Number: 30/10
BHP BILLITON NOTES ANNOUNCEMENT BY CANADIAN MINISTER OF INDUSTRY
BHP Billiton (ASX:BHP/LSE:BLT/NYSE:BHP and BBL/JSE:BIL) has noted the
announcement today by the Canadian Minister of Industry Tony Clement that he is
not satisfied at this time that the BHP Billiton offer to acquire all of the
issued and outstanding common shares of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.
("PotashCorp") (NYSE:POT/TSX:POT), together with any associated rights issued
and outstanding under the PotashCorp Shareholder Rights Plan, (the "Offer") is
likely to be of net benefit to Canada.
The Minister has advised BHP Billiton that the company has 30 days or such
further period as may be agreed to make further representations and undertakings
to the Minister with respect to the Offer. At the end of that time period, the
Minister will notify BHP Billiton whether he is or is not satisfied that the
Offer is of net benefit to Canada.
BHP Billiton is disappointed, but continues to believe that the Offer is of net
benefit to Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Canada. BHP Billiton will continue to
cooperate with the Minister and the Investment Review Division of Industry
Canada and will review its options.
Additional Information
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
The Offer is being made by BHP Billiton Development 2 (Canada) Limited (the
"Offeror"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BHP Billiton Plc. This
document is for information purposes only and does not constitute or form part
of any offer to purchase or any solicitation of any offer to sell PotashCorp`s
common shares. The Offer (as the same may be varied or extended in accordance
with applicable law) is being made exclusively by means of, and subject to the
terms and conditions set out in, the offer and the circular, the letter of
transmittal, the notice of guaranteed delivery and other related tender offer
materials (the "Offer Materials").
In connection with the Offer, the Offeror, BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton
Plc have filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities the Offer
Materials and have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO (the "Schedule TO"), including
the Offer Materials.
THE OFFER MATERIALS AND THE SCHEDULE TO, AS THEY MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO
TIME, CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE
OFFER, THAT SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE ANY DECISION IS MADE WITH RESPECT TO
THE OFFER. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS MAY OBTAIN A FREE COPY OF THE OFFER
MATERIALS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED BY THE OFFEROR, BHP BILLITON LIMITED AND BHP
BILLITON PLC WITH THE SEC AT THE WEBSITE MAINTAINED BY THE SEC AT WWW.SEC.GOV
AND WITH THE CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES AT WWW.SEDAR.COM.
MATERIALS FILED WITH THE SEC OR THE CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES
MAY BE OBTAINED WITHOUT CHARGE AT BHP BILLITON`S WEBSITE, WWW.BHPBILLITON.COM,
OR BY CONTACTING THE INFORMATION AGENTS FOR THE OFFER, MACKENZIE PARTNERS, INC.
AND KINGSDALE SHAREHOLDER SERVICES INC., BY PHONE AT 1-800-322-2885 AND 1-866-
851-3215, RESPECTIVELY.
While the Offer is being made to all holders of PotashCorp common shares, the
Offer is not being made or directed to, nor will deposits of PotashCorp common
shares be accepted from or on behalf of, holders of PotashCorp common shares in
any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance of the Offer would not be in
compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction. However, the Offeror may, in its
sole discretion, take such action as it may deem necessary to extend the Offer
in any such jurisdiction.
This document contains information, including information relating to
PotashCorp, that has 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 such information.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This document may contain, in addition to historical information, certain
forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements
can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "expected",
"scheduled", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations
of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results
"may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such
forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements
of the Offeror and BHP Billiton to differ materially from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements, including the risk that all conditions of the Offer will not be
satisfied. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are
beyond BHP Billiton`s ability to control or estimate precisely, such as future
market conditions, changes in regulatory environment and the behavior of other
market participants. BHP Billiton cannot give any assurance that such forward-
looking statements will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not
to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date of this document. BHP Billiton disclaims any intention or obligation
to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a forecast, projection or
estimate of the future financial performance of any member of the BHP Billiton
Group, PotashCorp or the enlarged BHP Billiton Group following completion of the
Offer unless otherwise stated.
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site:
www.bhpbilliton.com
Australia United Kingdom & South Africa
Amanda Buckley, Media Relations Andre Liebenberg, Investor Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2209 Mobile: +61 419 Tel: +44 20 7802 4131 Mobile: +44
801 349 7920 236 974
email: Amanda.Buckley@bhpbilliton.com email:
Andre.Liebenberg@bhpbilliton.com
Kelly Quirke, Media Relations United Kingdom & Americas
Tel: +61 3 9609 2896 Mobile: +61 429 Ruban Yogarajah, Media Relations
966 312 Tel: US +1 713 966 2907 or UK +44 20
email: Kelly.Quirke@bhpbilliton.com 7802 4033Mobile: UK +44 7827 082 022
email:
Fiona Martin, Media Relations Ruban.Yogarajah@bhpbilliton.com
Tel: +61 3 9609 2211 Mobile: +61 427
777 908 Americas
email: Fiona.Martin2@bhpbilliton.com Scott Espenshade, Investor Relations
Tel: +1 713 599 6431 Mobile: +1 713
Brendan Harris, Investor Relations 208 8565
Tel: +61 3 9609 4323 Mobile: +61 437 email:
134 814 Scott.Espenshade@bhpbilliton.com
email: Brendan.Harris@bhpbilliton.com
Leng Lau, Investor Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 4202 Mobile: +61 403
533 796
email: Leng.Y.Lau@bhpbilliton.com
BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number
077 3196209
Registered in Australia Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: 180 Lonsdale Registered Office: Neathouse Place
Street London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia Tel +44 20 7802 4000 Fax +44 20 7802
Tel +61 1300 55 4757 Fax +61 3 9609 4111
3015
Members of the BHP Billiton group which is headquartered in Australia
Date: 04/11/2010 07:05:01 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.
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