http://www.smh.com.au/business/bhp-reveals-wa-ambitions-20110927-...

http://www.smh.com.au/business/bhp-reveals-wa-ambitions-20110927-1kvdw.html

The future-positive bit from article below :-)

"The market outlook component of the presentation pack says that China would continue to lead steel production growth well into the next decade. Global steel production grew at a compound annual growth rate of 5 per cent between 2000 and 2010.

BHP is forecasting slower growth of 4 per cent to 2025, but notes that means the global steelmaker is heading off to 2.44 billion tonnes by 2025, up from 1.42 billion tonnes in 2010."



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BHP Billiton has told analysts touring its Pilbara iron ore operations in Western Australia that its growth ambitions are as big, if not bigger, than its arch rival Rio Tinto.

In 100 pages of presentation material lodged with the ASX for the three-day tour by 50 analysts and institutional investors, BHP has revealed for the first time that it has an aspirational target to produce as much as 450 million tonnes of iron ore annually, up massively from its current capacity of 155 million tonnes a year.

The presentations kicked off in Newman yesterday, with the tour to take in the Yandi operation today and the Port Hedland export facilities tomorrow.

Advertisement: Story continues below Like the rest of the market, the touring party is anxious to find out BHP's price outlook for iron ore, particularly if the key steelmaking raw material can continue to hold out against the rest of the mineral commodities sector and hold on to its boom-time pricing levels.

Judging by the presentation pack, BHP will not be giving any direct guidance. But in the various briefings during the tour, BHP will be making a case for continued strong demand for iron ore in response to the urbanisation and industrialisation under way in China and India.

The market outlook component of the presentation pack says that China would continue to lead steel production growth well into the next decade. Global steel production grew at a compound annual growth rate of 5 per cent between 2000 and 2010.

BHP is forecasting slower growth of 4 per cent to 2025, but notes that means the global steelmaker is heading off to 2.44 billion tonnes by 2025, up from 1.42 billion tonnes in 2010.

BHP has previously announced plans to grow its Pilbara business from 155 million tonnes annually to 240 million tonnes annually by 2016 at a capital cost of more than $US16 billion ($A16.4 billion), about half of which has already been spent.

It also has a study under way into a further expansion to 350 million tonnes a year by 2020 at an unspecified cost but which analysts assume will cost at least another $US20 billion. Most of that would be spent on the development of an ''outer'' harbour at Port Hedland.

The presentation material described 450 million tonnes a year as the ''ultimate objective'', which would require the expansion of the yet-to-be-built outer harbour and the development of new mines.

Rio is well ahead of BHP in Pilbara production terms. It is planning to grow from 220 million tonnes a year to 333 million tonnes a year in the first half of 2015 at a cost of more than $US16 billion.

The Rio board has approved an initial push to an annual rate of 283 million tonnes a year, with a final investment decision on the next growth tranche to the 333 million tonnes a year rate expected next year.



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