BHP Hints of More Job Cuts

Saddled by the continued deterioration of the global market, coupled with a slowing appetite from its major market importer, BHP Billiton has warned it would need to undertake more job cuts at its Australian operations.

Although no exact figures have been released yet, the job cuts could affect workers in coal mines in Queensland's Bowen Basin and at its Brisbane office.

"Against a backdrop of increasing costs and falling commodity prices, we continue to focus on reducing our overheads and operating costs," the world's biggest mining firm said in an e-mailed statement.

"We don't intend to provide any detail about specific adjustments, but clearly there may be some impact on jobs in some areas," it added, without confirming if the job losses would occur in Queensland or Western Australia.

BHP Billiton has 10,000 employees at its Queensland coal mines, including 3,500 unionised staff.

BHP Billiton is currently in a blackout period prior to reporting its full year results Wednesday next week.

Analysts and industry observers expect the company to post its first drop in annual profits since the global financial crisis from an Australian record $US23.6 billion last year to $US16.9 billion in 2011-12.

In June, the global miner announced it is backing out from an $80 billion five-year spending plan announced in 2011, saying it would review its project pipeline and focus on cutting costs to maintain stability and viability.

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