Re Agreement

Anglo American PLC
20 May 2004




Thursday, 20 May 2004




 BHP Billiton and Anglo American plc announce proposed joint expansion of coal
                 resources in the Western Complex, South Africa


BHP Billiton and Anglo American plc ("Anglo American") jointly announced today
that they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding enabling BHP
Billiton's Ingwe Collieries Limited ("Ingwe") and Anglo American's Anglo Coal to
investigate a proposed expansion of adjacent coal resources in the Western
Complex, South Africa, incorporating the development of BHP Billiton's proposed
US$280 million Klipspruit Project.

Subject to the outcome of the investigation it is proposed to establish the
Western Complex as a joint venture company managed by Ingwe and Anglo Coal.

The investigation will include a review of the parties' coal assets in the Ogies
area (some 100 kilometres east of Johannesburg), in particular Ingwe's mines at
Khutala and Klipspruit and the Weltevreden coal resources and Anglo Coal's coal
resources at Zondagsfontein, Smaldeel and Beesting.

The investigation, which is expected to take several months to complete, will
include a due diligence review of the parties' coal assets, followed by a
feasibility study, with final approval for an expansion from the Boards of BHP
Billiton and Anglo American. Included in the feasibility process will be the
introduction of suitable Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) partners.

Should the proposed expansion prove viable, the establishment of the Western
Complex will be an important development for the South African coal industry and
could provide long term coal supplies to Eskom, South Africa's power utility, as
well as to the export market.


For further information:


BHP Billiton:

http://www.bhpbilliton.com



AUSTRALIA                                              UNITED KINGDOM 

Tracey Whitehead, Investor Relations                   Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations
Tel: [phone]  Mobile: [phone]          Tel: [phone]
email: [e-mail]                email:[e-mail]


Tania Price, Media Relations                           Ariane Gentil, Media Relations
Tel: [phone]  Mobile: [phone]          Tel: [phone]
email: [e-mail]                     email: [e-mail]



UNITED STATES                                          SOUTH AFRICA
                                                       
Francis McAllister, Investor Relations                 Michael Campbell, Investor & Media Relations
Tel: [phone]  Mobile: [phone]          Tel: [phone]  Mobile: [phone]
email: [e-mail]            email: [e-mail]



Anglo American plc:


Anglo American - London

Investor Relations                                      Media Relations
Nick von Schirnding                                     Kate Aindow
Tel:  [phone]                                  Tel:  [phone]


Anglo American - Johannesburg

Investor Relations                                       Media Relations
Anne Dunn                                                Marion Dixon
Tel:  [phone]                                    Tel:  [phone]



Notes to Editors:

1. Ingwe own and/or operate in the Ogies area:

   •  Khutala mine: an underground and opencut mine producing 15 million tonnes 
      per annum for sale to Eskom. It has 1,400 employees.  Should the proposed
      expansion prove viable it is expected that the service contracts of 
      Khutala employees would transfer to the Western Complex;

   •  Klipspruit Project: at present a mini pit, with a larger mine development 
      planned to 6 million tonnes per annum via an opencast dragline operation, 
      at an estimated cost of US$280 million for mine development, coal 
      processing plant and rail infrastructure, currently in the last stages of
      feasibility study.

   •  Weltevreden: coal resources.



2.    Anglo Coal's assets in the area are the coal resources at Zondagsfontein,
      Smaldeel and Beesting.

3.    BHP Billiton is the world's largest diversified resources company with
      some 35,000 employees working in more than 100 operations in approximately 
      20 countries.  BHP Billiton is distinguished from other resource companies 
      by the quality of its assets; deep inventory of growth projects; customer-
      focused marketing; diversification across countries, commodities and 
      markets; and its Petroleum business.

      Reflecting its aim to be a premier global company, BHP Billiton occupies
      industry leader or near industry leader positions in major commodity 
      businesses, including aluminum, energy coal and metallurgical coal, 
      copper, ferro-alloys, iron ore and titanium minerals, and have substantial 
      interests in oil, gas, liquefied natural gas, nickel, diamonds and silver.

4.    Anglo American plc is one of the world's largest mining and natural 
      resource groups. With its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, it 
      is a global leader in gold, platinum group metals and diamonds, with 
      significant interests in coal, base and ferrous metals, industrial 
      minerals and paper and packaging. The group is geographically diverse, 
      with operations and developments in Africa, Europe, South and North 
      America, Australia and Asia. (www.angloamerican.co.uk).

Ends


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