BHP BILLITON - APPROVES IRON ORE CAPACITY EXPANSION PROJECT - NEWS RELEASE      
BHP BILLITON                                                                    
JSE Share Code: BIL                                                             
ISIN CODE: GB0000566504                                                         
BHP BILLITON APPROVES IRON ORE CAPACITY EXPANSION PROJECT                       
BHP Billiton today announced the approval of a significant brownfields expansion
project in its Western Australian iron ore business.                            
Capacity at the Pilbara iron ore operations will be increased from 100 million  
tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 110Mtpa by the end of CY2004. The capital cost for   
the project is expected to be US$111 million (BHPB share US$94.5 million).      
President Carbon Steel Materials Bob Kirkby said: "BHP Billiton is currently    
completing studies for further long term expansions of its Western Australian   
iron ore business.                                                              
"In the interim, this project will ensure that BHP Billiton continues to meet   
the unprecedented rate of growth in demand for iron ore through a timely and    
capital efficient expansion," he said.                                          
The BHP Billiton Iron Ore Rapid Growth Project will be completed on the back of 
infrastructure and equipment installed as part of the Area C and PACE projects  
and includes increased Area C plant capacity to 23Mtpa plus additional rail and 
port capacity.                                                                  
Further information on BHP Billiton 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                                 
email:                                Tel: +44 20 7802 4156                     
Andrew.W.Nairn@bhpbilliton.com        email: Mark.Lidiard@bhpbilliton.com       
Tania Price, Media Relations          Ariane Gentil, Media Relations            
Tel: +61 3 9609 3815                  Tel: +44 20 7802 4177                     
Mobile: +61 419 152 780               Mobile: +44 78 81 51 8715                 
email: Tania.Price@bhpbilliton.com    email: Ariane.Gentil@bhpbilliton.com      
United States                         South Africa                              
Francis McAllister, Investor          Michael Campbell, Investor & Media        
Relations                             Relations                                 
Tel: +1 713 961 8625                  Tel: +27 11 376 3360                      
Mobile: +1 713 480 3699               Mobile: +27 82 458 2587                   
email:                                email:                                    
Francis.R.McAllister@bhpbilliton.com  Michael.J.Campbell@bhpbilliton.com        
5 February 2004                                                                 
Date: 05/02/2004 10:53:04 AM Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za                     
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