Leighton secures US$60 million coal mining contract in E. Kalimantan

Australian multidiscipline contractor Leighton Holdings Limited announced Monday it had secured a 5-year contract from PT Asia Energy to carry out coal mining activity at the Gudang Hitam coal mine at Sanga-Sanga in East Kalimantan

?The US$60 million contract includes the removal of overburden, coal mining, hauling to and handling at the crusher facility, and the delivery of coal to the loadout facility at the Sanga-Sanga River,? Leighton said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.

Leighton added the work would commence in January 2005.

According to Leighton, PT Asia Energy has reached an agreement with Noble Energy for the purchase of the coal. Noble Energy is a world-class supplier of fuel materials to the power sector and is part of the Noble Group, which is listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Leighton is currently operating three other coal mines in Indonesia ? the Anugrah Bara Kaltim Loa Janan coal mine, the Mitra Sumber Jaya coal mine, and the MPE Loa Raya coal mine, also in East Kalimantan. (robert)