Mining giant BHP will pay shareholders its biggest ever interim dividend of $US1.01 ($1.29) per share on the back of surging iron ore prices and a strong global economic recovery.

The Big Australian’s 16 per cent jump in half-year profit was in large part due to China’s extraordinary output of steel, with Iron Ore accounting for about 80% of BHP’s underlying earnings.

BHP Chief Financial Officer David Lamont says strong, safe and reliable operations allowed BHP to take advantage of better than expected commodity prices.

“At the moment, Iron Ore is doing the heavy lifting, but we do see good growth opportunities outside of Iron Ore, including copper, and also nickel and potentially potash as well,” Lamont told Brooke Corte.

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