Wednesday April 22, 2015: BHP Billiton (BHP) has given another one-finger salute to WA Premier Colin Barnett in the growing furore over iron ore prices, saying it still aimed to grow production to 290 million tonnes a year.
The multinational, which is also at the centre of the federal row over its tax avoidance strategies in Australia, said today it had deferred its Port Hedland inner harbour debottlenecking project.
This meant it would take longer to expand production from 250 million tonnes this financial year to 290 million tonnes, though it would save money as a result of the slower approach .
However, BHP said it still planned to hit the new target.
BHP's comments will further stoke the dispute between Mr Barnett and BHP and Rio Tinto over the giants' production growth.
Notably, BHP's latest comments come just days after Mr Barnett issued his strongest warning yet to the pair, reminding them about the potential ramifications of their strategies and the impact they were having on the iron ore price.
BHP today increased its production guidance for this financial year by five mllion tonnes to 250 million tonnes.
The multinational, which is also at the centre of the federal row over its tax avoidance strategies in Australia, said today it had deferred its Port Hedland inner harbour debottlenecking project.
This meant it would take longer to expand production from 250 million tonnes this financial year to 290 million tonnes, though it would save money as a result of the slower approach .
However, BHP said it still planned to hit the new target.
BHP's comments will further stoke the dispute between Mr Barnett and BHP and Rio Tinto over the giants' production growth.
Notably, BHP's latest comments come just days after Mr Barnett issued his strongest warning yet to the pair, reminding them about the potential ramifications of their strategies and the impact they were having on the iron ore price.
BHP today increased its production guidance for this financial year by five mllion tonnes to 250 million tonnes.