BHP TO MERGE BHP MINERALS AND UTAH INTERNATIONAL
The Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd <BRKN.S>
said it will merge its BHP Minerals division and <Utah
International Inc> into a single business unit under a common
management structure.
    The merger will be effective June 1, coinciding with the
retirement of Utah International chairman and chief executive
Bud Wilson, BHP said in a statement.
    The new BHP-Utah Minerals International Group will be
headed by Jim Curry as executive general manager and chief
executive officer. Curry is currently executive vice-president
of Utah International, BHP said.
    <BHP Petroleum (Americas) Inc>, formerly part of Utah
International, will become a subsidiary of BHP's renamed <BHP
Petroleum International>, now <BHP Petroleum Pty Ltd>, the
company said.
    BHP will also bring its Queensland coal operations under
one management structure and consolidate minerals marketing and
sales offices in various markets throughout the world.
    BHP acquired Utah from General Electric Co <GE> in 1984.
    Utah's assets include stakes of 40.25 to 52.25 pct in seven
large Central Queensland coking mines, 49 pct of the Samarco
iron ore operation in Brazil, 60 pct of La Escondida copper
deposit in Chile, the Island Copper mine at Port Hardy in
Canada, 70 pct of a coal mine and 30 pct of a gold mine in
South Africa and coal and other mines in the U.S.
    BHP Minerals' assets include wholly and partly-owned iron
ore mines, coal mines, manganese and base-metal operations or
prospects and 30 pct of the Ok Tedi gold-copper project in
Papua New Guinea.
 REUTER
