28th Apr 2005 08:00
BHP Billiton PLC28 April 2005 28 April 2005 To: Mr. Peter Horton - WMC London Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange The Manager Swiss Stock Exchange Companies Announcement Platform Johannesburg Stock Exchange The Australian Stock Exchange Deutsche Bank UBS Zurich Takeover bid for WMC Resources Ltd - Extension of Offer Period BHP Billiton has extended the offer period for its takeover bid for WMCResources. The offer now closes at 7:30 pm (Melbourne time) on 3 June 2005. Attached are: • a letter that is being sent by BHP Billiton to WMC Resources shareholders; • a notice by BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd pursuant to section 650D of the Corporations Act 2001 (C'th), giving formal notice of the extension of the offer period; and • a notice by BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd pursuant to section 630(2) of the Corporations Act, giving notice of 26 May 2005 as the new date for giving notice on the status of conditions of the offer. In addition, a formal notice declaring the offer free of the condition set outin clause 5.1(b) of the Bidder's Statement (FIRB approval condition) is alsoenclosed. Yours faithfully Karen Wood Company Secretary 28 April 2005 Dear WMC Resources shareholder, BHP Billiton's offer for WMC Resources extended I am writing to advise you that the offer by BHP Billiton Lonsdale InvestmentsPty Ltd for WMC Resources Ltd has been extended. The offer is now scheduled toclose at 7.30pm Melbourne time on 3 June 2005. The formal notice extending theoffer period is set out on the back of this letter. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the OfferInformation Line on: For Australian callers: 1300 365 849 For international callers: +61 3 9415 4254 For US callers: MacKenzie Partners, Inc. (212) 929 5500 (call collect) or (800) 322 2885 (toll-free) Yours sincerely, Karen WoodCompany Secretary A copy of this notice was lodged with the Australian Securities & InvestmentsCommission ("ASIC") on 28 April 2005. ASIC takes no responsibility for thecontents of the notice. NOTICE OF VARIATION OF TAKEOVER OFFERS FOR ALL OF THE ORDINARY SHARES IN WMC RESOURCES LTD TO: WMC Resources Ltd ABN 76 004 184 598 ("WMC Resources") AND TO: The holders of all of the ordinary shares in WMC Resources registered at 7:00pm Melbourne time on 21 March 2005 (the "Offerees") and to the holders of WMC Resources Options registered at 7:00pm Melbourne time on 21 March 2005. 1. EXTENSION OF OFFER PERIOD By this notice BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd ABN 75 004 346 972 ("BHP Billiton Lonsdale") VARIES its offers dated 29 March 2005 for all of the ordinary shares in WMC Resources (the "Offers") by: (a) extending the period during which the Offers remain open for acceptance until 7.30pm Melbourne time on 3 June 2005; and (b) substituting the date "3 June 2005" for the date "6 May 2005", in clause 2 of the Offers. 2. DATE FOR GIVING NOTICE AS TO STATUS OF CONDITIONS The new date in clause 5.5 of the Offers for giving notice under section 630 of the Corporations Act as to the status of conditions in clause 5.1 of the Offers is 26 May 2005. DATED 28 April 2005 SIGNED on behalf of BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd by Charles W.Goodyear and John C. Fast being directors of BHP Billiton Lonsdale InvestmentsPty Ltd who are authorised to so sign by a resolution passed at a meeting of thedirectors of BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd. ______________________________ C.W. Goodyear - Director _____________________________ J.C. Fast - Director NOTICE UNDER SECTION 650F OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 (Cth) To: Company Secretary - WMC Resources Ltd London Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange The Manager Swiss Stock Exchange Company Announcements Office Johannesburg Stock Exchange The Australian Stock Exchange Deutsche Bank UBS Zurich BY THIS NOTICE, BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd ABN 75 004 346 972(BHP Billiton Lonsdale) DECLARES the offers dated 29 March 2005 made by it underan off-market takeover bid for all the ordinary shares of WMC Resources Ltd (WMCResources) and the contracts formed by the acceptance of any of those offersfree from the condition set out in clause 5.1(b) of the offers (relating toForeign Investment Review Board approval). The offers are now free of that condition. BHP Billiton Lonsdale's voting power in WMC Resources at the time of giving thisnotice is 3.10%. DATED 28 April 2005 FOR AND ON BEHALF OF BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd C. W. Goodyear - Director NOTICE UNDER SECTION 630(2)(b) OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 (Cth) TO: WMC Resources Ltd ABN 76 004 184 598 ("WMC Resources") BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd ABN 75 004 346 972 (Bidder) GIVESNOTICE under section 630(2)(b) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) that: (a) as a result of extension of the period for which the offers dated 29 March 2005 by it under its off-market takeover bid to acquire all of the ordinary shares in WMC Resources are open for acceptance, the date for giving notice on the status of conditions in clause 5.5 of the offer is postponed to 26 May 2005; (b) the offers dated 29 March 2005 (the "Offers") by the Bidder under its off-market takeover bid to acquire all of the ordinary shares in WMC Resources are not free from the conditions set out in clause 5.1 of the Offers other than the following conditions: • FIRB approval (clause 5.1(b) of the Offers); • Hart-Scott-Rodino approval (clause 5.1(c) of the Offers); • European Union merger control approval (clause 5.1(d) of the Offers); and • ACCC approval (clause 5.1(e) of the Offers); (c) so far as the Bidder knows, the conditions set out in clause 5.1 of the Offers were, at the time of giving this notice, unfulfilled other than the following conditions: • FIRB approval (clause 5.1(b) of the Offers); • Hart-Scott-Rodino approval (clause 5.1(c) of the Offers); • European Union merger control approval (clause 5.1(d) of the Offers); and • ACCC approval (clause 5.1(e) of the Offers). DATED 28 April 2005 FOR AND ON BEHALF OF BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd C.W. Goodyear - Director BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209Registered in Australia Registered in England and WalesRegistered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH UnitedVictoria 3000 KingdomTelephone +61 1300 554 757 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015 Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111 The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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