The world's largest mining company BHP Billiton announced a forced reduction of manufacturing activity in the Western Australian nickel mine in early February, and the related reduction of staff personnel. The actions of the leadership pushed the unstable situation in the nickel market, complemented by an unusually high rate of local currency.

In materials prepared for publication by the press center of BHP Billiton, is referred to mine Mount Keith — one of the major nickel assets of the corporation. According to previously published data, it is not the first slowdown in the history of the quarry in recent years. By these measures the company's management resorted in 2009, cutting in January about 200 jobs and 70 — in the month of August. Today we are talking about reducing the staff by 155 people.

Mining company BHP Billiton was founded in 2001 by the merger of two powerful organizations: the British and Australian Billiton Broken Hill Proprietary Company. In this case the majority of shares (60%) belongs to Australian owners. In addition to nickel, on the assets of an entity located in more than 20 countries around the world are mined copper, titanium, iron, silver, bauxite and diamonds, oil, gas, coal and uranium.