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