BHP Minerals Leadership Pos

Broken Hill Proprietary Co Ld
6 April 2000


BHP MINERALS ADVISES LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP) today advises the details of
key leadership appointments for the new BHP Minerals' business model.

President BHP Minerals Ron McNeilly said the new model had been designed to
deliver alignment with the BHP Charter, achieve optimal business outcomes and
grow the value of the business.

The new model includes a Portfolio Leadership Team of Mr McNeilly; Chief
Operating Officer BHP Minerals Bob Kirkby; Chief Strategic Officer BHP
Minerals Marcus Randolph and BHP Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel John
Fast.

Additionally it differentiates between Asset Leaders whose role is to extract
value from existing assets and Business Leaders whose role is to grow the
business.  Support is provided by Strategic Advisory Leaders (some of whom
report to corporate functional heads).

All leadership positions were declared open and have been filled from within
BHP following an extensive interview and review process.

The Business Leaders, the Minerals and Corporate Strategic Advisory Leaders,
and the Strategic Marketing Managers will be located in Melbourne.  The Asset
Leaders will be located at or close to operational sites.  


Key appointments in BHP Minerals are as follows (with some appointments still
to be made):

Portfolio Leadership Team

President BHP Minerals                            Ron McNeilly
Chief Operating Officer BHP Minerals              Bob Kirkby
Chief Strategy Officer BHP Minerals               Marcus Randolph, 
BHP Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel        John Fast
Chief Financial Officer BHP Minerals              To be appointed

Business Leaders

President, BHP Base Metals                        Peter Monkhouse
President, BHP Coal                               Mike Oppenheimer
President, BHP Copper                             Ken Pickering
President, BHP Iron Ore                           Stefano Giorgini
President, BHP Minerals Special Projects          Gary Evans
President, BHP Diamonds and Industrial Materials  TBA
President, BHP HBI                                TBA

Asset Leaders

President, Cannington                             Mark Adams
President, Escondida                              Bruce Turner
President, Ekati                                  Jim Excell
President, Illawarra Coal                         Wayne Isaacs
President, Indonesian Coal                        Ken Farrell
President, New Mexico Coal                        John Grubb
Managing Director, Ok Tedi                        Roger Higgins
President, Orinoco HBI                            Dave Webster
President, Queensland Coal                        Rick Gazzard
President, US Southwest Copper                    John Perry
President, Tintaya                                Jaap Zwaan
President, Western Australia Iron Ore             Graeme Hunt
President, Western Australia HBI       John McKirdy, Interim Asset Manager
(External Appointment)
President, Samarco                                TBA

Minerals Strategic Advisory Leaders

Vice President, Asset Development                 Ian Ashby
Vice President, Discovery                         Tom Whiting
Vice President, Operational Excellence            Mike Anglin
Strategic Marketing Managers

Coal, Iron Ore and HBI                            Simon Wandke
Copper and Base Metals                            John Crofts
Diamonds and Industrial Materials                 TBA

Commercial Managers                               TBA

Corporate Strategic Advisory Leaders

Environment                                       Nick Allen
Human Resources                                   Steve Keogh
Safety and Occupational Health                    Steve Pickett
Business Analysis and Evaluation                  TBA
Controller                                        Mark Williams
External Affairs                                  Tony Wells
Legal                                             Gerard Heath
Minerals Strategy                                 TBA


There are some other changes following the appointments.

President BHP Diamonds Jim Rothwell will not continue with BHP in the longer
term but has agreed to remain with BHP for some months to ensure a smooth
transition for the diamonds business.  BHP will be conducting a worldwide
search for his replacement.

Bill Zimmerman will continue as Vice President of Marketing, BHP Diamonds.  An
appointment to the position of Marketing Manager for Diamonds and Industrial
Materials will be made once the new Business Leader is in place.

Vice President Coal and Iron Ore Marketing Len Dean will be leaving BHP but
has agreed to remain with the Company to facilitate the transition period.

Ed Pettigrew will remain at New Mexico Coal to assist John Grubb with the
transition at that operation, after which he will consider options for ongoing
employment within Minerals.

Ross James will transfer to a new role in BHP as Vice President Human
Resources Projects, reporting to Tom Brown pending the implementation of the
portfolio model in other BHP businesses and the selection for the human
resources roles therein.  

For further details etc.
___________________________
Note:-
BHP Managing Director and CEO Paul Anderson discussed the new Minerals
organisation in his address to the Securities Institute of Australia on 28th
February 2000. His presentation, including a briefing paper 'strategic
framework and performance pmeasures' is available at: 
www.bhp.com.au/financials/brief/default.htm


Contact: 
INVESTOR RELATIONS:       Robert Porter, Vice President - Investor Relations
                          Tel:     [phone]
                          Mob:     [phone]

MEDIA RELATIONS:          Mandy Frostick, Manager Media Relations
                          Tel:     [phone]
                          Mob:     [phone]