BHP Billiton: Ravensthorpe at full output in 2010

RAVENSTHORPE, Australia, May 23 (Reuters) - BHP Billiton Ltd (BHP.AX) said on Friday its Ravensthorpe nickel mine in western Australia will reach its full capacity of 50,000 tonnes a year by 2010.

The project, which started production in 2007 about nine months behind schedule, cost about $2.2 billion to build and is one of the largest nickel making facilities in the world. (Reporting by James Regan)