BHP to spend $200m on Olympic Dam debottlenecking

Diversified major BHP Billiton would invest about $200-million in its Olympic Dam operation, in South Australia, as part of its debottlenecking efforts, and would accelerate long-term drilling plans and mine development. CFO Peter Beaven said on Monday that it was hoped the debottlenecking initiatives would increase total ore production to 11-million tonnes a year and deliver an additional 50 000 t/y of copper from the operation by 2018.