Rule 8.3 - BHP BILLITON LTD

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        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              BHP BILLITON LIMITED
Class of relevant security    NPV
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               21 May 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     157,041,330       4.68%    1,017,252      0.03%
securities
(2) Derivatives       57,697       0.00%      323,537      0.01%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0       0.00%            0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            157,099,027       4.68%    1,340,789      0.04%


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

Class of                    Long                     Short
relevant
security:

                  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
                                   (GBP)
Purchase      2,786                46.7201 AUD
Purchase      101                  47.0200 AUD
Purchase      2,485                46.8738 AUD
Purchase      306                  47.0200 AUD
Purchase      187                  47.0200 AUD
Purchase      1,667                46.8738 AUD
Purchase      1,295                46.8700 AUD
Purchase      907                  46.8739 AUD
Purchase      2,896                46.9359 AUD
Purchase      278                  47.0200 AUD
Purchase      645                  46.9094 AUD
Purchase      411                  46.9000 AUD
Purchase      42,124               46.8653 AUD
Purchase      411                  46.7200 AUD
Purchase      18,222               48.8105 AUD
Purchase      271,344              46.9017 AUD
Purchase      73,478               46.8700 AUD
Purchase      112                  47.0200 AUD
Purchase      19,711               46.8738 AUD
Purchase      2,221                47.0200 AUD
Purchase      331                  46.8700 AUD
Purchase      298                  47.0200 AUD
Purchase      2,733                46.8739 AUD
Purchase      2,657                46.8739 AUD
Purchase      3,366                46.8738 AUD
Purchase      1,004                46.8739 AUD
Purchase      1,781                46.8739 AUD
Purchase      1,511                46.8738 AUD
Purchase      377                  47.0200 AUD
Purchase      52                   47.0200 AUD
Purchase      169                  47.0200 AUD
Purchase      468                  46.8739 AUD
Purchase      199                  47.0200 AUD
Sale          3,894                47.0200 AUD
Sale          42,124               46.8653 AUD
Sale          406                  47.0200 AUD
Sale          3,695                46.9733 AUD
Sale          5,328                46.7663 AUD
Sale          7,748                46.8700 AUD
Sale          18,222               48.8105 AUD
Sale          2,786                46.7202 AUD
Sale          411                  46.7200 AUD
Sale          18,584               49.5500 AUD
Sale          411                  46.9000 AUD
Sale          107,965              46.8700 AUD
Sale          42,124               46.8653 AUD

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          5328          46.7662
CFD            Long          3695          46.9732
CFD            Short         271344        46.9017
CFD            Short         645           46.9093
CFD            Short         2896          46.9359

(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
e.g. call       selling,          securities to      price     American,       date     paid/received
option          purchasing,       which the option             European etc.            per unit (GBP)
                varying etc.      relates (GBP)


(ii) Exercising

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




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


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




4.   OTHER INFORMATION
None

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.




Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 NO


Date of disclosure                         22 May 2008
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
Telephone number                           020 7116 2913
If a connected EFM, name of
offeree/offeror with which connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of
connection (Note 10)


Notes

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