A Minor Miner Addition: South32 (S32) Joins My Portfolio After BHP Billiton Demerger

May has been an interesting month for my portfolio. Obviously, being chiefly UK-focused my portfolio has been buffeted due to the preparations for and fall-out from the General Election on 7 May.

May has also already seen the addition of new buys in the form of AstraZeneca and Legal & General.

In addition, my portfolio has seen corporate actions abound which has created two (very) small holdings to emerge in my portfolio.

Earlier this month I wrote how Catlin Group's final purchase by XL Group was completed with its concomitant addition of a handful of XL Group shares.

Now, with BHP Billiton's demerger, I have some shiny new South32 shares hit my portfolio.

As this is a new addition I think it is appropriate to give it a little write-up welcome (with appropriate fresh, clean overalls mining man to accompany it).

BUY: BHP Billiton--A Mine of Opportunity?

Price: 1957
Shares: 25
Projected annual dividend return: £17.93

Over the last couple of weeks I have had a notable amount of funds to push the markets way. So here we are: another week, another buy.

So, what did I go for this time? This was a challenging choice really. There are a number of companies that caught my eye at fair value but few at bargain basement ones. However, eventually what caught my eye was the diversified Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP Billiton.

I must be honest, I was not originally intending to include a miner in my portfolio. Other than oil, commodity companies rarely attract me. In general, their earnings are too cyclical and--especially in the case of miners--their dividends are inconsistent to say the least.

However, BHP Billiton struck me as a different beast--to some extent.