BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP.AU) said Friday it has approved a US$1.93 billion expansion of its iron ore operations in Western Australia even as it waits for approval to merge these operations with those of rival Rio Tinto Ltd. (RIO.AU).

The company said the funding forms part of its Rapid Growth Project 6 in the Pilbara region designed to increase annual capacity of the operations to 240 million metric tons by 2013, and will be used to procure long lead time items and detailed engineering for port, rail and Jimblebar mine expansion.

BHP Billiton said its share of the capital expenditure is US$1.73 billion under its Pilbara iron ore partnership with Japan's Itochu Corp. (8001.TO) and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. (8031.TO)

-By Bill Lindsay, Dow Jones Newswires; 61-2-8272-4694; bill.lindsay@dowjones.com
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