BHP history

Billiton Plc. was founded in 1860 as the mining company NV Billiton Maatschappij.

1883 1883 Charles Rasp discovers silver and lead at Broken Hill

Incorporated in 1885, BHP engaged in the discovery, development, production and marketing of iron ore, copper, oil and gas, diamonds, silver, lead, zinc and a range of other natural resources.

As a result of the 1892 slump in world silver and lead prices, BHP decided to scrap a work-practice agreement with the AMA and to prompt a showdown with a union movement it openly regarded with contempt.

Delprat had become BHP's general manager in 1899 and under his careful but imaginative stewardship BHP's productivity rose steadily.

Guillaume Delprat, a Dutch engineer and chemist whom BHP had brought to Australia from Europe, provided the solution to the problem of treating sulfide ores with his invention in 1902 of the flotation process.

The union movement disagreed with this analysis and in 1905 militants urged the NSW government not to renew BHP's leases at the Big Mine.

Fire breaks out at BHP underground mine 1906 Fire breaks out in BHP’s underground mine at Broken Hill, resulting in the loss of several lives and emphasising the risks associated with mining.

Early in 1909 the AMA launched a new strike.

Published in 1912, A Souvenir from Broken Hill is a collection of images from the early days of BHP by E. A. Archbald.

Newcastle Steelworks opened 1915 Newcastle Steelworks completed.

In 1921 Delprat was succeeded by Essington Lewis, a mining engineer who had joined BHP in the first decade of the century and risen swiftly in the corporate hierarchy.

Read the first edition of BHP's newsletter, "Broken Hill Proprietary Recreation Review" from 1922.

Thus the Depression, which began in 1929 and devastated other Australian industries, left the steel industry comparatively unscathed.

1930 1930 Billiton establishes a peoples fund

1934 1934 Australian built military aircraft at Port Melbourne begin

Published in 1935, A Souvenir of Broken Hill is a collection of etchings from BHP by J.C. Goodhart.

By this time, however, BHP's energies were focused on its expanding steel business and the Big Mine played a progressively smaller role in the company's calculations, closing altogether in 1939 and thereby ending BHP's association with Broken Hill.

In 1940 Menzies appointed Lewis Director General of Munitions with the responsibility of harnessing the nations' entire manufacturing industry to the war effort.

The BHP-led syndicate, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, flies their first planes - the Wirraway – which make up most of the front line fighters when Japan enters the war in 1941.

BHP opens Central Research Laboratories at Shortland, Newcastle 1957 To tackle a wide span of challenges, BHP opens Central Research Laboratories at Shortland, Newcastle.

It will mine tin on Billiton Island until 1958.

1960: The company relaunches iron ore prospecting and mining operations.

In 1964 the first well was commissioned in the Gippsland Basin area off the coast of Victoria.

1968 1968 Rich iron ore is developed at Mt.

The Labour Government elected in 1972 took several actions against BHP. Rex Connor, Minister for Minerals and Energy, attacked BHP for profiteering and proceeded to remove the subsidies BHP had been given for its oil exploration work.

In 1976-77, BHP acquired Peabody Coal's Australian assets, thereby gaining a 60 percent interest in the Moura and Kianga coal mines in Queensland.

1979: The company opens the Gregory coal mine.

In 1983 the company acquired a controlling interest in Utah International Inc., a major producer of metallurgical coal in Australia, with holdings in copper, iron ore, and steam coal in various countries.

In 1984 BHP bought the United States mining and construction company Utah Mines Ltd. from General Electric.

In 1985, published Australians in Company celebrating one hundred years of achievements with a forward by Chairman James Balderstone.

1986: Monsanto Oil is acquired.

In the wake of the 1987 stock market crash, Holmes a Court sold his stake back to BHP. The deal also gave BHP a one-third stake in International Brewing Investments (IBI), including a one-third share of Foster's Brewing.

1988: Gulf Energy Development is acquired.

1990 1990 Escondida in Chile begins producing copper

BHP discovers diamonds in Canada 1991 The discovery of diamonds in Canada's Northwest Territories was kept secret for almost four months, but when news broke it sparked the largest staking rush in North American history.

By 1992, it ranked tenth among the world's oil companies, and petroleum had become a significant contributor to overall profits, which totaled $900 million on revenues of $12 billion in 1992.

Billiton is acquired by South African mining company, Gencor 1994 A major portion of Billiton, including its stakes in mining and metals in 15 countries, is acquired by South African mining company, Gencor.

In 1995, for example, BHP acquired Magma Copper Company, the United States' largest copper smelter, for AUD 3.2 billion ($1.8 billion). At the time, copper prices were high and the deal was hailed as a major coup.

Also in Canada, the company acquired the White Pine refinery from Inmet Mining Corporation in 1996.

It is to be divested from Gencor in 1997 and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

As it approached the dawn of the 21st century, however, BHP was described as "a dysfunctional family" by new CEO Paul Anderson, an American appointed to restructure the group in 1999.

BHP formally becomes BHP Limited 2000 BHP formally becomes BHP Limited.

In July 2002, BHP Billiton announces the demerger of BHP Steel.

2003: The company begins a $5 billion investment program to boost oil operations.

At the beginning of 2004, the company launched a new $412 million expansion of its Hillside aluminum smelter in South Africa, and announced its intention to continue its expansion in that sector in the near future.

2005-2 2005 First oil production from the Greater Angostura Field

In March 2009, BHP Billiton announces the first oil and natural gas production from the Shenzi development in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

BHP Billiton acquires Athabasca Potash in March 2010.

2011 2011 First gas commences from the Angostura Gas Project

2012 2012 BHP Billiton consolidates operations

2013-2 2013 Daunia Metallurgical Coal Mine opens in central Queensland

On 19 August 2014, BHP announces plans to simplify its portfolio by creating an independent global metals and mining company, South32, based on a selection of its high quality alumina, aluminum, coal, manganese, nickel, silver, lead and zinc assets.

In May 2015, following a successful shareholder vote, South32 is founded.

BHP launches Prospects 2016 BHP launched Prospects, a blog series, to provide insights on global trends relevant to our business and our stakeholders.

2017 2017 BHP approves extending life of Spence copper mine