BHP

Anglo-Australian company BHP Billiton (BHP) expects to exceed its iron ore production guidance of 159 million tonnes after its first half production increased by 23 per cent.

BHP produced 41,072 million tonnes of iron ore in the second quarter, which is four per cent higher than the first three months of the the fiscal year. The iron ore production of the company increased 23 per cent to 80,644 million tonnes for the first half compared to the previous corresponding period.

BHP Billiton (BHP) has decided to buy five tenements nearby its Olympic Dam mine from Archer Exploration (AXE) for $3 million. The deal between the companies will bring BHP to an 80 per cent interest in the five tenements at West Roxby.

Woodside Petroleum (WPL has announced today its approval of the $2.5 billion development of the Greater Western Flank (GWF) project to mark the expansion of North West Shelf. The first phase of GWF will also include the development of Goodwyn GH and Tidepole fields.

Mining giant BHP Billiton (BHP) is on its move to grow its US shale gas assets of its newly-acquired Petrohawk Energy as it boosts the gas production by 12 percent on the previous quarter and seems to have beaten its 2011 capital spending target. The mining company have raised its assets from 85.5 billion cubic feet in the previous quarter to 96.5 billion cubic feet in the three months to September 30.

There are no floats scheduled but there are two upcoming ex-dividend and several Annual General Meetings listed in the stock market events tomorrow, November 17, 2011.

Ex-Dividends

The federal and state government has approved BHP Billiton's (ASX:BHP) plan to expand the Olympic Dam copper, uranium and gold mine in South Australia. The $30 billion mine expansion could mean huge economic benefits, but Greens is protesting it will create radioactive waste.

The plan to create the world’s largest open-cut mine won the nod of the commonwealth, South Australian and Northern Territory governments yesterday.

Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) continues operations in its Guinea ore project despite the country's new mining code stating it can take up to 35 percent of projects. The miner has already agreed to this percentage upper limit when it paid Guinea US$700 million, confirmed by Rio on Easter this year.

Next week on September 5, 2011, EGMs are on a rebound as seven companies will convene. upcoming ex-dividends are still on a roll with 41 stocks, but there is only one company scheduled to float.

Dividends

BHP Billiton (ASX:BHP) left competitors in the dust as it delivered the biggest record profit in Australia's history and the seventh biggest in the world's. BHP's net earnings soared by a whopping 85.9 percent to $22.5 billion as major price gains in iron ore and coking coal erased the effects of rising costs and tiny volume drops.