SYDNEY: BHP Billiton reported an annual net loss of $6.39 billion on Tuesday as the impact of a fatal mine dam disaster in Brazil and weak commodity prices hit the world's biggest miner.

The results for the year to June 30 followed a $1.91 billion net profit in the previous corresponding period. Underlying earnings, which strip out one-off writedowns, came in at $1.22 billion.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2016