BHP Billiton tried to stop Chinese deal with Rio Tinto – Wikileaks

Miner BHP Billiton lobbied the Australian government intensively, as it tried to wreck a $19.5bn (£12.3bn) investment by Aluminiua plant of clacium carbonate powder processingm Corp of China (Chinalco) in arch rival Rio Tinto, according to a US government cable released by Wikileaks. The leaked cables, which were published in The Sydney Morning Herald over the weekend, showed that BHP was concerned that the investment would give China insight into commercially important information.

It was also claimed that BHP, the world's largest miner, had played the situation well. "Treasurer Wayne Swan's chief of staff has told us on several occasions that BHP has played its cards with consummate skill, in part due to the increasing marginalisation of BHP CEO Marius Kloppers as BHP chairman Don Argus has taken the lead in lobbying the GOA [government of Australia] with the able assistance of BHP's well-connected VP for government relations, Bernie Delaney," a cable sent on June 7 last year said.