Leighton sub wins $140m coal contract

AAP

Theiss Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Ltd, has won a 12-month contract extension worth $140 million to run the Meandu coal mine in Queensland.

Thiess was originally awarded the contract to operate the mine near Kingaroy, in October 2007.

The contract will now run to December 2011.

Coal from the Meandu mine supplies the adjacent Tarong Power Stations, which are a major source of Queensland's electricity.

Thiess Mining chief executive Bruce Munro said the contract extension would allow Theiss to continue to provide services including mine planning, drilling and blasting, coal mining and processing, and maintenance.

Shares in Leighton were 85 cents higher at $39.60 on Tuesday.