Re: WMC Bidder's Statement

BHP Billiton Limited
29 March 2005


BHP Billiton Limited is issuing this announcement to fulfil disclosure 
obligations arising from its secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange.

The text of this release is identical to that issued by BHP Billiton Plc 
earlier.



NEWS RELEASE                                                                   
  Release Time  IMMEDIATE                                                      
  Date          29 March 2005                                                  
  Number        13/05                                                          

 
        BHP BILLITON DISPATCHES BIDDER'S STATEMENT FOR WMC RESOURCES LTD        
                                                                            

BHP Billiton commenced mailing the Bidder's Statement, together with WMC
Resources Ltd's Target's Statement, to WMC Resources Ltd's shareholders today.
The key dates for the offer are as follows:

 
Date of Offer                     29 March 2005                                  
Closing Date of Offer*            7.30 pm (Melbourne time) on 6 May 2005         
                                                                                 

*This date is indicative only and may change as permitted by the Australian
Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)


A copy of the Bidder's Statement as sent to WMC Resources Ltd's shareholders is
attached.


BHP Billiton also advises that all filings required under the U.S.
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 have been made and all
applicable waiting periods under that Act have expired. Accordingly, the
condition set out in clause 5.1(c) of the Bidder's Statement has been fulfilled.

 
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site: http://
www.bhpbilliton.com

 
Australia                              United Kingdom                    
                                                                    
Jane Belcher, Investor Relations       Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations                         
Tel: [phone]                   Tel: [phone] 
Mobile: [phone]                                        
email:                                 email:                            
[e-mail]         [e-mail]      
                                                                  
Tania Price, Media Relations           Ariane Gentil, Media Relations    
Tel: [phone]                   Tel: [phone] 
Mobile: [phone]                                                         
email:                                 email:  
[e-mail]            [e-mail]                                
                                                                    
United States                          South Africa 
                     
Tel: [phone] or                Michael Campbell, Investor & Media
     [phone]                  Relations                         
email:                                 Tel: [phone] 
[e-mail]           Mobile: [phone]                       
                                       email:                            
                                       [e-mail]

Further Information for U.S. holders

BHP Billiton has filed the Bidder's Statement 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 Recourses 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 an 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.

The full Bidder's statement is available on the BHP Billiton website. Follow the
link below to view the full text of that document;

http://www.bhpbilliton.com/bbContentRepository/News/RelatedContent/141753134Bidderstatement.pdf 



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