Bonus PLC Share Issue

BHP Billiton Limited
22 July 2002

     BHP Billiton Limited is issuing this announcement to fulfil disclosure
  obligations arising from its secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange.

    The text of this release is identical to that issued by BHP Billiton Plc
                                    earlier.



22 July 2002
Number: 41/02

         DEMERGER OF BHP STEEL - BONUS ISSUE OF BHP BILLITON PLC SHARES

BHP Billiton today announces that holders of ordinary shares in BHP Billiton Plc
will receive a bonus issue of 1 new BHP Billiton Plc share for each 15.5648 BHP
Billiton Plc shares held. Fractional entitlements will be rounded up (to the
nearest whole new BHP Billiton Plc share) if the fractional entitlement would
represent half or more than half of a BHP Billiton Plc share, or otherwise
rounded down. The shares will be issued on 22 July 2002 to holders of BHP
Billiton Plc shares on the register as at Friday, 19 July 2002 (except for
shareholders registered in the South African section of the register, where the
bonus shares will be issued on 29 July 2002 to holders on the register as at
Friday, 26 July 2002).

As previously advised, this bonus issue in favour of BHP Billiton Plc
shareholders is being made to reflect the value distributed to BHP Billiton
Limited shareholders as a result of the demerger of BHP Steel. The size of the
bonus issue has been determined using the formula set out in the documents sent
to shareholders in May 2002, and will result in the issue of approximately
148,999,530 new BHP Billiton Plc shares (subject to rounding of fractional
entitlements).



For further information, please contact:

Australia                                                     United Kingdom
Andrew Nairn, Investor Relations                              Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations
Tel: + 61 3 9609 3952 Mobile: [phone]                 Tel: [phone]
email: [e-mail]                         email: [e-mail]

Mandy Frostick, Media Relations                               South Africa
Tel: + 61 3 9609 4157 Mobile: [phone]                 Michael Campbell, Investor & Media Relations
email: [e-mail]                       Tel: + 27 11 376 3360 Mobile: + 27 82 458 2587
                                                              email: [e-mail]
United States
Francis McAllister, Investor Relations
Tel: [phone] Mobile: [phone]
email: [e-mail]


BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077                     BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in Australia                                     Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: 600 Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria     Registered Office: 1-3 Strand London WC2N 5HA United Kingdom
3000                                                        Telephone [phone] Facsimile [phone]
Telephone [phone] Facsimile [phone]

              The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia









                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange