BHP TO MERGE BHP MINERALS AND UTAH INTERNATIONAL The Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd <BRKN.S> said it will merge its BHP Minerals division and <Utah International Inc> into a single business unit under a common management structure. The merger will be effective June 1, coinciding with the retirement of Utah International chairman and chief executive Bud Wilson, BHP said in a statement. The new BHP-Utah Minerals International Group will be headed by Jim Curry as executive general manager and chief executive officer. Curry is currently executive vice-president of Utah International, BHP said. <BHP Petroleum (Americas) Inc>, formerly part of Utah International, will become a subsidiary of BHP's renamed <BHP Petroleum International>, now <BHP Petroleum Pty Ltd>, the company said. BHP will also bring its Queensland coal operations under one management structure and consolidate minerals marketing and sales offices in various markets throughout the world. BHP acquired Utah from General Electric Co <GE> in 1984. Utah's assets include stakes of 40.25 to 52.25 pct in seven large Central Queensland coking mines, 49 pct of the Samarco iron ore operation in Brazil, 60 pct of La Escondida copper deposit in Chile, the Island Copper mine at Port Hardy in Canada, 70 pct of a coal mine and 30 pct of a gold mine in South Africa and coal and other mines in the U.S. BHP Minerals' assets include wholly and partly-owned iron ore mines, coal mines, manganese and base-metal operations or prospects and 30 pct of the Ok Tedi gold-copper project in Papua New Guinea.