Announces Holding of 76.25% in WMC3 Jun 2005
BHP Billiton Announces Holding of 76.25% in WMC                                 
BHP Billiton Plc                                                                
Registration number 3196209                                                     
Registered in England and Wales                                                 
Share Code: BIL                                                                 
ISIN: GB0000566504                                                              
NEWS RELEASE                                                                    
Date                                                                            
3 June 2005                                                                     
BHP BILLITON ANNOUNCES HOLDING OF 76.25% IN WMC                                 
BHP Billiton announces that, as at 7:30pm (Melbourne time) today, it had        
achieved acceptances under its offer for WMC Resources (WMC) (including         
instructions under the Acceptance Facility) for 72.99% of WMC`s issued shares.  
BHP Billiton has also acquired a further 3.26% of WMC`s issued shares as a      
result of on-market purchases today.                                            
Accordingly, BHP Billiton has an aggregate interest of 76.25% in WMC`s issued   
shares (including instructions under the Acceptance Facility).  This does not   
include BHP Billiton`s 4.31% economic exposure to WMC shares under its cash     
settled swap contracts with Deutsche Bank AG.                                   
BHP Billiton`s offer is now scheduled to close at 7:30pm (Melbourne time) on    
Friday, 17 June 2005.                                                           
Further information                                                             
If shareholders have any questions in relation to the offer or accepting it,    
they should contact the offer information line on 1300 365 849 (from within     
Australia) or +61 3 9415 4254 (if calling from outside Australia) or, if calling
from the United States of America, MacKenzie Partners at (212) 929 5500 (call   
collect) or (800) 322 2885 (toll free) or by email at                           
proxy@mackenziepartners.com, or consult their financial or other professional   
adviser.                                                                        
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Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site:          
http://www.bhpbilliton.com                                                      
Australia                     United Kingdom                                    
Jane Belcher, Investor        Mark Lidiard, Investor &                          
Relations                     Media Relations                                   
Tel: +61 3 9609 3952  Mobile: Tel: +44 20 7802 4156 Mobile:                     
+61 417 031 653               +44 7769 934 942                                  
email:                        email:                                            
Jane.H.Belcher@bhpbilliton.co Mark.Lidiard@bhpbilliton.com                      
m                                                                               
Tania Price, Media Relations  Ariane Gentil, Media                              
Tel: +61 3 9609 3815  Mobile: Relations                                         
+61 419 152 780               Tel: +44 20 7802 4177                             
email:                        Mobile: +44 78 81 51 8715                         
Tania.Price@bhpbilliton.com   email:                                            
                              Ariane.Gentil@bhpbilliton.com                     
United States                                                                   
Mark Lidiard, Investor &      South Africa                                      
Media Relations               Michael Campbell, Investor &                      
Tel: USA +1 713 599 6100 or   Media Relations                                   
UK +44 20 7802 4031           Tel: +27 11 376 3360  Mobile:                     
email:                        +27 82 458 2587                                   
Mark.Lidiard@bhpbilliton.com  email:                                            
                              Michael.J.Campbell@bhpbillito                     
                              n.com                                             
Further Information for U.S. Holders                                            
BHP Billiton has filed the Bidder`s Statement, as supplemented from time to     
time, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under cover of Form
CB.  Investors and holders of WMC Resources securities are strongly advised to  
read the Bidder`s Statement and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC,
as well as any amendments and supplements to those documents, because they will 
contain important information.  Investors and holders of WMC Resources          
securities may obtain free copies of the informational document (when available)
as well as other relevant documents filed with the SEC, at the SEC`s website at 
www.sec.gov.  WMC Resources has issued a target`s statement in connection with  
the offer which investors and holders of WMC Resources securities are strongly  
advised to read.                                                                
This communication is for information purposes only.  It shall not constitute an
offer to purchase, sell or exchange or the solicitation of any offer to         
purchase, sell or exchange any securities of WMC Resources.  The distribution of
this communication may, in some countries, be restricted by law or regulation.  
Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document should inform    
themselves of and observe these restrictions.