If BHP Billiton was a real-life suitor, we suspect it wouldn’t be the decorous type who would open doors for you and wait patiently for you to return its calls. No, we rather think it would be the kind that overwhelms your answering machine with voicemails and waits on your back porch at night for you to come home after grilling your friends. (Which, if you’re a banker on this deal, is as it should be.) Here, BHP reveals its latest hand – and how it plans to play to win.

BHP Billiton Ltd., bidding $133 billion for Rio Tinto Group, will seek talks with Aluminum Corp. of China after the state-owned producer bought a potential blocking stake in its target last month.

``We will seek to meet with them in the same way we are meeting with all the top 20, 50 shareholders of Rio Tinto,'' Marius Kloppers, chief executive officer of the Melbourne-based company, said today. ``We clearly want 100 percent of the company, but 50 percent acceptances will be enough to gain control.''

Kloppers wants the support of Chinalco, as the Beijing- based producer is known, to create the biggest producer of aluminum and energy coal. Chinalco Chairman Xiao Yaqing said March 18 that he may increase its stake in Rio to secure the metals needed by China, the biggest consumer of aluminum, copper and iron ore.

``It would be the best outcome if they do get the Chinese to play ball,'' said Paul Xiradis, who owns both stocks among the $11 billion in investments he helps oversee at Ausbil Dexia in Sydney. ``They are a significant shareholder and BHP wants all shareholders to agree on the offer.''

BHP rose 45 cents, or 1.3 percent, to A$35.76 at the 4:10 p.m. close in Sydney on the Australian Stock Exchange. Rio rose A$2.63, or 2.2 percent, to A$120.90. It is trading at 16 percent less than the 6,000 pence a share price paid by Chinalco and Alcoa Inc. for their 9 percent stake in Rio.

China Driving Demand

Chinalco spokesman Lu Youqing said by phone the company hasn't met with BHP Billiton. Chairman Xiao also said in a March 18 television interview in Hong Kong that he hadn't met with BHP.

``China's resource needs are going to be very large over the next couple of decades,'' Kloppers said today. `` The demand for raw materials is driven largely by the growth in China and while we see that slowing down somewhat, I believe that demand, particularly in the long run, is going to be very good.''

Chinalco said it bought the stake in London-based Rio to diversify into other metals to secure resources.

Rio may seek opportunities to work together with its now largest shareholder, Rio's Chief Executive Officer Tom Albanese said in February. BHP hasn't discussed anything material relating to its bid for Rio with Chinalco, Kloppers said today.

Kloppers said he planned to meet with all the significant shareholders in Rio ``in due course'' to convince them of the merits of his offer.

Rio's stock is trading at a 0.1 percent premium to the BHP offer of 3.4 shares for every Rio share held. This may indicate investors aren't expecting a higher offer, Ausbil's Xiradis said.

``The market is perhaps saying what BHP is offering is quite fair and reasonable,'' he said.

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