BHP Billiton Plc - BHP Billiton Settles 2003 Cokin23 Apr 2003
BHP Billiton Plc                                                                
ISIN:       GB0000566504                                                        
SHARE CODE: BIL                                                                 
SHARE CODE: BIL                                                                 
NEWS RELEASE                                                                    
Date        23 April 2003                                                       
BHP BILLITON SETTLES 2003 COKING COAL PRICES                                    
BHP Billiton today announced commercial terms have been settled for the         
majority of annually priced coking coal contracts for the year commencing       
1 April 2003.                                                                   
The pricing outcomes relate to the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA)       
and BHP Mitsui Coal operations in Queensland, and the BHP Billiton              
Illawarra Coal operations in New South Wales.                                   
FOB returns for all brands of metallurgical coals have decreased by an          
average of four per cent. The lower prices reflect market conditions            
prevailing across most coal types.                                              
Volumes are expected to remain steady.                                          
****                                                                            
Further information can be found on our Internet site:                          
http://www.bhpbilliton.com                                                      
Australia                               United Kingdom                          
Andrew Nairn, Investor Relations        Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media          
Tel: +61 3 9609 3952                    Relations                               
Mobile: +61 408 313 259                 Tel: +44 20 7802 4156                   
email: Andrew.W.Nairn@bhpbilliton.com   email:                                  
                                        Mark.Lidiard@bhpbilliton.com            
Tracey Whitehead, Media Relations       Ariane Gentil, Media Relations          
Tel: +61 3 9609 4202                    Tel: +44 20 7802 4177                   
Mobile: +61 419 404 978                 email:                                  
email:                                  Ariane.Gentil@bhpbilliton.com           
Tracey.Whitehead@bhpbilliton.com                                                
United States                           South Africa                            
Francis McAllister, Investor Relations  Michael Campbell, Investor & Media      
Tel: +1 713 961 8625                    Relations                               
Mobile: +1 713 480 3699                 Tel: +27 11 376 3360                    
email:                                  Mobile: +27 82 458 2587                 
Francis.R.McAllister@bhpbilliton.com    email:                                  
                                        Michael.J.Campbell@bhpbilliton.com