BHP Billiton's coal interests

BHP Billiton has major coal mining interests in Australia, South Africa, Colombia and the USA.

A November 2007 presentation to investment analysts by the President of BHP Billiton Coal, Dave Murray, stated that the company had an 8% share of the global coal export market, making it the equal second largest coal exporter in the world. (BHP Billiton was equal with the Indonesian coal exporter, Bumi Resources). :

BHP Billiton's coal subsidiaries
BHP Billiton has interests in the following operations that produce steaming coal :
 * BHP Billiton Energy Coal South Africa which is a wholly own subsidiary;
 * Mt Arthur Coal, Australia which is a wholly own subsidiary;
 * Cerrejon Coal, South America, in which BHP Billiton has a 33.3% interest;
 * New Mexico Coal, North America which is a wholly own subsidiary; and
 * the company is also the exclusive agent for marketing the coal exported from PT Arutmin Indonesia.



The company also has interests in:
 * BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), Australia (50 per cent ownership which produces both metallurgical and thermal coal;
 * Illawarra Coal in Australia which is a wholly owned subsidiary and which produces metallurgical and thermal coal which is marketed through BMA; and
 * BHP Mitsui Coal in Australia in which BHP Billiton has an 80% interest and which produces metallurgical and thermal coal which is marketed through BMA.

Coal Growth Plans
In an investor presentation, BHP Billiton staff flagged a range of coal mining expansion plans to cater for both the Atlantic and the Pacific coal export markets. For the Pacific market the company flagged the expansion of Cerrejon mine in Colombia and the development of Klipspruit and the rationalisation of the Middleburg and Douglas mines in what it referrs to as the Douglas-Middelburg Optimisation (DMO) Project in South Africa. To cater for the expansion of the Pacific market, the company has flagged its intention to develop the Mt Arthur Underground mine as well as the Mt Arthur Coal mine in the Hunter Valley in Australia. It is also looking to develop the Caroona Coal Project in New South Wales, Australia; Western Arctic Coal Project in Alaska, United States and the Southern Start project near Punta Arenas, Chile.

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Australia and coal
 * Colombia and coal
 * Global use and production of coal
 * South Africa and coal
 * Corporate market share of global coal export trade
 * BHP Billiton

External Articles

 * Dave Murray, "BHP Billiton Coal CSG Anlayst Visit: Hunter Valley Energy Coal", BHP Billiton, November 2nd, 2007.