SA premier urges BHP to be more open

Mining giant BHP Billiton owes it to the people of South Australia to be open about future plans for the Olympic Dam mine, Premier Jay Weatherill says.

Mr Weatherill has questioned BHP's decision not to speak publicly about the latest round of job cuts following a decision to axe 380 positions by mid-September.

"These are our resources. It would assist us and the people of South Australia if they were to be as open as they possibly can be," Mr Weatherill told reporters on Tuesday.

"I think people are becoming frustrated in seeking to understand where BHP stands, what their level of commitment is to South Australia.

"You don't need to guarantee anything. We just need to understand what the trajectory is, what their thinking is beyond a media statement with a few cryptic lines."

BHP said its decision to cut jobs was not a reflection of SA government policy settings but was driven by global challenges in the resources sector and the need to transform Olympic Dam into a sustainable operation.

The latest job losses will reduce the total workforce at Olympic Dam to about 3500.

The company offered little else on its future plans, including the status of a major expansion that still has state government approval despite being mothballed by the company in 2012.

Despite his concerns, Mr Weatherill said there was some cause for optimism and that barring another major slide in commodity prices, employment levels at Olympic Dam should stabilise before starting to grow again.