Australia-based Leighton Holdings'
subsidiary Thiess Pty, has won two contracts worth $900 million to develop and
operate a coal mine in India's northeastern coal fields.
The Chitarpur coal project will
involve the immediate infrastructure development and the subsequent 20 years
to develop and operate an open cut coal mine at the western end of the North
Karanpura coalfield in Jharkhand.
Around115 million tpa of coal will be
mined over the next two decades and development work is scheduled to begin end
April 2008, with mining commencing in October 2009. The mine will have a maximum
capacity of 6.75 million tpa and will supply coal to steel plants and to a
nearby 1,100 MW power station.