BlackRock Group - Rule 8.3- BHP Billiton PLC

RNS Number:8211L
BlackRock Group
15 January 2008

FORM 8.3

DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE

(Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)

1. KEY INFORMATION

Name of person dealing (Note 1) BlackRock Group
Company dealt in BHP Billiton Plc
Class of relevant security to which the USD 0.50 Ordinary shares
dealings being disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing 14th January 2008

2. INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a) Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant security dealt in (Note 3)

Long Short
Number (%) Number (%)
(1) Relevant securities 78,878,793 3.53%
(2) Derivatives (other than options) 317,920 0.01%
(3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell -309,000 -0.01%
Total 79,196,713 3.54% -309,000 -0.01%

(b) Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class of relevant security: Long Short
Number (%) Number (%)
(1) Relevant securities
(2) Derivatives (other than options)
(3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell
Total

(c) Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

Class of relevant security: Details

3. DEALINGS (Note 4)

(a) Purchases and sales

Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit (Note 5)

Purchase 1,000,000 GBP 15.36404
Purchase 194,500 GBP 15.43058
Sale 45 ADRS = 90 ord shares USD 61.45

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product name, e.g. Long/short (Note 6) Number of securities (Note 7) Price per unit (Note 5)
CFD

CFD Long 16,500 GBP 15.2629

(c) Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Product name Writing, Number of Exercise Type, e.g. Expiry Option money paid/
e.g. call selling, securities to price American, date received per unit
option purchasing, which the European (Note 5)
varying etc. option relates etc.
(Note 7)

(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g. call option Number of securities Exercise price per unit (Note 5)

(d) Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)

Nature of transaction (Note 8) Details Price per unit (if applicable) (Note
5)

4. OTHER INFORMATION

Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the person
disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of any relevant
securities under any option referred to on this form or relating to the voting
rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any
derivative referred to on this form is referenced. If none, this should be
stated.

None...........................................................................
...

..............................................................................

Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)
YES

Date of disclosure 15th January 2008

Contact name Louise Lyle
Telephone number 0131 472 7472
If a connected EFM, name of offeree/offeror with which BHP Billiton
connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of connection (Note 10) Category 2

Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk

SUPPLEMENTAL FORM 8

DETAILS OF OPEN POSITIONS

(This form should be attached to Form 8.1, Form 8.1(b)(ii) or Form 8.3, as
appropriate)

OPEN POSITIONS (Note 1)

Product name, Written or Number of securities Exercise price Type, e.g. Expiry date
purchased to which the option or (Note 2) American,
e.g. call option derivative relates European etc.

Call Option Sold -156,000 GBP 15.98 European 20th February 2008
Call Option Sold -153,000 GBP 17.36 European 5th February 2008

Notes

1. Where there are open option positions or open derivative positions (except
for CFDs), full details should be given. Full details of any existing
agreements to purchase or to sell should also be given on this form.

2. For all prices and other monetary amounts, the currency must be stated.

For details of the Code's dealing disclosure requirements, see Rule 8 and its
Notes which can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END

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