WMC - Extension of Offer

BHP Billiton Limited
28 April 2005

     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.


28 April 2005


    To: Mr. Peter Horton - WMC         London Stock Exchange
                                       New York Stock Exchange
    The Manager                        Swiss Stock Exchange
    Companies Announcement Platform    Johannesburg Stock Exchange
    The Australian Stock Exchange      Deutsche Bank
                                       UBS Zurich



Takeover bid for WMC Resources Ltd - Extension of Offer Period

BHP Billiton has extended the offer period for its takeover bid for WMC
Resources. The offer now closes at 7:30 pm (Melbourne time) on 3 June 2005.

Attached are:

  • a letter that is being sent by BHP Billiton to WMC Resources shareholders;
  • a notice by BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd pursuant to section
    650D of the Corporations Act 2001 (C'th), giving formal notice of the
    extension of the offer period; and
  • a notice by BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd pursuant to section
    630(2) of the Corporations Act, giving notice of 26 May 2005 as the new date
    for giving notice on the status of conditions of the offer.

In addition, a formal notice declaring the offer free of the condition set out
in clause 5.1(b) of the Bidder's Statement (FIRB approval condition) is also
enclosed.

Yours faithfully


Karen Wood

Company Secretary


28 April 2005



Dear WMC Resources shareholder,

BHP Billiton's offer for WMC Resources extended

I am writing to advise you that the offer by BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments
Pty Ltd for WMC Resources Ltd has been extended. The offer is now scheduled to
close at 7.30pm Melbourne time on 3 June 2005. The formal notice extending the
offer period is set out on the back of this letter.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Offer
Information Line on:


        For Australian callers:      1300 365 849

        For international callers:   [phone]

        For US callers:              MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
                                     [phone] (call collect) or
                                     [phone] (toll-free)


Yours sincerely,

Karen Wood

Company Secretary



A copy of this notice was lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments
Commission ('ASIC') on 28 April 2005. ASIC takes no responsibility for the
contents of the notice.

                     NOTICE OF VARIATION OF TAKEOVER OFFERS

              FOR ALL OF THE ORDINARY SHARES IN WMC RESOURCES LTD

TO:     WMC Resources Ltd ABN 76 004 184 598 ('WMC Resources')


                AND TO:     The holders of all of the ordinary shares in WMC
                Resources registered at 7:00pm Melbourne time on 21 March 2005
                (the 'Offerees') and to the holders of WMC Resources Options
                registered at 7:00pm Melbourne time on 21 March 2005.

        1.      EXTENSION OF OFFER PERIOD


                By this notice BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd ABN 75
                004 346 972 ('BHP Billiton Lonsdale') VARIES its offers dated 29
                March 2005 for all of the ordinary shares in WMC Resources (the
                'Offers') by:

                (a)     extending the period during which the Offers remain open
                for acceptance until
                7.30pm Melbourne time on 3 June 2005; and

                (b) substituting the date '3 June 2005' for the date '6 May
                2005', in clause 2 of the
                Offers.

        2.      DATE FOR GIVING NOTICE AS TO STATUS OF CONDITIONS


                The new date in clause 5.5 of the Offers for giving notice under
                section 630 of the Corporations Act as to the status of
                conditions in clause 5.1 of the Offers is 26 May 2005.



DATED 28 April 2005

SIGNED on behalf of BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd by Charles W.
Goodyear and John C. Fast being directors of BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments
Pty Ltd who are authorised to so sign by a resolution passed at a meeting of the
directors of BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd.



______________________________

C.W. Goodyear - Director


____________________________

J.C. Fast - Director



                           NOTICE UNDER SECTION 650F

                       OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 (Cth)

    To: Company Secretary - WMC Resources Ltd      London Stock Exchange
                                                   New York Stock Exchange
    The Manager                                    Swiss Stock Exchange
    Company Announcements Office                   Johannesburg Stock Exchange
    The Australian Stock Exchange                  Deutsche Bank
                                                   UBS Zurich



BY THIS NOTICE, BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd ABN 75 004 346 972
(BHP Billiton Lonsdale) DECLARES the offers dated 29 March 2005 made by it under
an off-market takeover bid for all the ordinary shares of WMC Resources Ltd (WMC
Resources) and the contracts formed by the acceptance of any of those offers
free from the condition set out in clause 5.1(b) of the offers (relating to
Foreign Investment Review Board approval).

The offers are now free of that condition.

BHP Billiton Lonsdale's voting power in WMC Resources at the time of giving this
notice is 3.10%.



DATED 28 April 2005


FOR AND ON BEHALF OF

BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd

C. W. Goodyear - Director





                         NOTICE UNDER SECTION 630(2)(b)

                       OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 (Cth)

TO:     WMC Resources Ltd ABN 76 004 184 598 ('WMC Resources')

BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd ABN 75 004 346 972 (Bidder) GIVES
NOTICE under section 630(2)(b) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) that:


        (a)     as a result of extension of the period for which the offers
        dated 29 March 2005 by it under its off-market takeover bid to acquire
        all of the ordinary shares in WMC Resources are open for acceptance, the
        date for giving notice on the status of conditions in clause 5.5 of the
        offer is postponed to 26 May 2005;

        (b)     the offers dated 29 March 2005 (the 'Offers') by the Bidder
        under its off-market takeover bid to acquire all of the ordinary shares
        in WMC Resources are not free from the conditions set out in clause 5.1
        of the Offers other than the following conditions:

              • FIRB approval (clause 5.1(b) of the Offers);
              • Hart-Scott-Rodino approval (clause 5.1(c) of the Offers);
              • European Union merger control approval (clause 5.1(d) of the
                Offers); and
              • ACCC approval (clause 5.1(e) of the Offers);


        (c)     so far as the Bidder knows, the conditions set out in clause 5.1
        of the Offers were, at the time of giving this notice, unfulfilled other
        than the following conditions:

              • FIRB approval (clause 5.1(b) of the Offers);
              • Hart-Scott-Rodino approval (clause 5.1(c) of the Offers);
              • European Union merger control approval (clause 5.1(d) of the
                Offers); and
              • ACCC approval (clause 5.1(e) of the Offers).


DATED 28 April 2005


FOR AND ON BEHALF OF

BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd

C.W. Goodyear - Director


BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077                     BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in Australia                                     Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne  Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH United
Victoria 3000                                               Kingdom
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                        The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia


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