Sale of Samancor Chrome

BHP Billiton Limited
17 February 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             17 February 2005
  Number           07/05
                            SALE OF SAMANCOR CHROME

BHP Billiton and Anglo American plc ('Anglo American') announced today that they
have reached agreement for the sale of Samancor Chrome to the Kermas Group for
an enterprise value of US$469 million. The sale will be effective 1 April 2005,
subject to obtaining regulatory approvals.

The Kermas Group is a producer of and trader in ferrochrome and chrome
chemicals, with activities in Russia, Germany and Turkey.

The Wonderkop joint venture and Palmiet Ferrochrome plant are excluded from this
transaction. Samancor Chrome operates entirely in South Africa, and includes
Eastern Chrome Mines in Mpumalanga and Western Chrome Mines in Northwest
Provinces. It also has alloy plants in Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces. It
markets product across the globe and in total employs some 5 500 people.

Samancor Chrome is a wholly owned subsidiary of Samancor, owned 60% by BHP
Billiton, also the operator and 40% by Anglo American.

For further information contact:

BHP Billiton:

http://www.bhpbilliton.com

Australia                              United Kingdom
Jane Belcher, Investor Relations       Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media
                                       Relations
Tel: [phone] Mobile: +61 417   Tel: [phone]
031 653
email:                                 email: [e-mail]
[e-mail]
Tania Price, Media Relations           Ariane Gentil, Media Relations
Tel: [phone] Mobile: +61 419   Tel: [phone] Mobile: +44 78 81
152 780                                51 8715
email: [e-mail]     email: [e-mail]
United States                          South Africa
                                       Michael Campbell, Investor & Media
                                       Relations
Francis McAllister, Investor           Tel: [phone] Mobile: [phone]
Relations                              2587
Tel: [phone] Mobile: +1 713    email:
480 3699                               [e-mail]
email:
[e-mail]

Anglo American:
United Kingdom
Charlie Gordon, Investor Relations
Tel: [phone]

Kate Aindow, Media Relations
Tel: [phone]

South Africa
Anne Dunn, Investor Relations
Tel: [phone]

Marion Dixon, Media Relations
Tel: [phone]




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