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Message| (374)    Despite declining commodity prices in 2012,
BHP Billiton (BHP) management remains confident in its ability
to capitalize on opportunities in the near term. BHP will
reinvest $22 billion during its current fiscal year to expand
upon its current operations -- the Escondida copper mine in
Chile, the Gulf of Mexico oil fields, and the metallurgical coal
division in Australia will resume full capacity production.
Reinvesting in projects to bolster short-term and long-term
prospects is management's core focus during this period.  BHP
Billiton is not the only diversified mining firm that's feeling
pressure from economic uncertainties in the US, China, and
Europe. Both Rio Tinto (RIO) and Vale (VALE) are cautiously
reviewing their respective near-term operations in order to
compensate for the continuously declining demands for raw
materials and metals since the 2009 recession. Current
shareholders should hold BHP long term, while inter