Anglo-Australian company BHP BILLITON, world leader in mining has put in an offer of 7.3 bn dollars in cash for the purchase of Australian firm WMC RESOURCES, which therefore counters the hostile take over bid of the Swiss XSTRATA company which proposed 6.5 bn dollars. BHP BILLITON's offer rises to 7.85 Australian dollars per share and is supported by the whole of the WMC board. XSTRATA chose not to compete with this offer and has withdrawn its bid.