BHP Billiton must commit to its $30 billion Olympic Dam copper-gold-uranium mine expansion by the end of the year or the state Labor government will withdraw approval, South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has threatened.
He has also called on the federal government to shelve possible cuts to the diesel tax rebate, saying the potential added cost burden of an estimated $130 million a year to Olympic Dam was of "central concern" to the world's biggest miner.
Mr Weatherill said BHP had assured his government the project remained on track following weekend speculation that the company was wavering.
"We are confident it is on track, but obviously, it is still a very big decision to be made by that company," the Premier said.
BHP is juggling the timing of first investment in four "mega-projects" -- Olympic Dam, a potash project in Canada, a new shale gas business in the US and the expansion of its iron business in the Pilbara region of Western Australia -- that could absorb as much as $120bn over the next 15 years, according to analysts at Deutsche Bank.
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The Australian
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