BHP to team up with Mitsubishi

BHP to team up with Mitsubishi

KUALA LUMPUR: Anglo-Australian miner BHP Billiton and Japanese
conglomerate Mitsubishi Corp. have announced they are to jointly
build an aluminum smelter in the eastern Malaysian state of
Sarawak.

The companies said in a statement released late on Thursday
they had concluded a memorandum of understanding on the project
but few other details were released, such as the location of the
smelter.

"BHP Billiton expertise in aluminum smelter development and
Mitsubishi expertise in infrastructure development will help
deliver a world-class smelter industry to Sarawak," said the
statement.

"Mitsubishi has also developed extensive business knowledge
and expertise within Malaysia as a result of Mitsubishi's 45-year
history of operations in the country."

The statement said BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi had
successfully developed similar projects together, including the
Mozal smelter in Mozambique. -- AFP