text: BHP Billiton is the world’s largest mining company with market capitalization of 179 billion (as of 30 June 2014) and revenue of 67.2 billion in 2014.  "BHP actually stands for Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited". Broken Hill is where BHP started its operations in 1885,"when the company began mining the massive ore body containing the world’s richest source of silver, lead and zinc. 