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 August 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     146,273,319        4.36%     1,260,401     0.04%
securities
(2) Derivatives      199,840        0.01%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and       26,200        0.00%        26,200     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            146,499,359        4.37%     1,286,601     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      5,315                39.7000 AUD
Purchase      5,798                38.9500 AUD
Purchase      618                  38.9461 AUD
Purchase      36,673               39.5512 AUD
Purchase      3,710                38.8445 AUD
Purchase      43,862               38.9990 AUD
Purchase      5,217                39.1562 AUD
Purchase      1,669                38.9500 AUD
Purchase      3,710                38.8561 AUD
Purchase      4,400                39.3967 AUD
Purchase      43,862               38.9990 AUD
Sale          7,325                39.0447 AUD
Sale          3,710                38.8561 AUD
Sale          43,862               38.9990 AUD
Sale          618                  38.9461 AUD
Sale          34,452               39.1640 AUD
Sale          36,673               39.5512 AUD
Sale          618                  38.9461 AUD
Sale          90,024               38.9500 AUD
Sale          1,797                38.9500 AUD
Sale          3,710                38.8561 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          7325          39.0446
CFD            Long          34452         39.1639
CFD            Short         5217          39.1562
CFD            Short         4400          39.3966

(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)                 YES


Date of disclosure                         22 August 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)


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
e.g. call option  purchased   to which the option    (Note 2)         American,
                              or derivative relates                   European etc.
Option            Purchased   26,200                 34.2000          EURO           27/10/2008
Option            Purchased   -26,200                39.4820          EURO           27/10/2008

Notes

1. Where there are open option positions or open derivative positions (except for CFD's), 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