BHP Billiton saw net profits drop for the first time in two years due to volatile commodity prices and production disruption.

The world’s largest miner reported a net profit fall of 5.5 per cent to £6.24 billion for the half-year ending 31 December 2011.

The fall came despite surging revenues of 9.7 per cent to £23.54 billion but the half-year profits are still more than the company formed by the proposed merger of Glencore and Xstrata would have made in the whole of 2011.

The interim dividend is up 20 per cent from the same period in 2010 to 55 cents, though it has remained flat from the first six months of 2011.

Shares in BHP slipped 0.4 per cent on the Australian Exchange overnight but the FTSE 100 stock is currently trading up 0.92 per cent at 2,200p at 10am.

The firm explained that there had been a deterioration in commodities demand in the second half of 2011, driven by the Eurozone crisis, and profits were also impacted by industrial activity at its large copper mine in Escondida, Chile.

BHP claimed, ‘We expect volatility in commodity markets to persist as the European sovereign debt crisis and general weakness in the manufacturing and construction sectors across key markets are expected to weigh on customer behaviour and sentiment.’

The mining industry has been shaken up by the proposed £57 billion merger of Glencore and Xstrata, but the prospect isn’t daunting BHP Billiton.

CEO Marius Kloppers commented, ‘Some people have asked me does this deal make a difference to you, and I would say it doesn’t make a difference in our strategy, it doesn’t make a difference in our philosophy.’