Energy Resources LLC has requested Leighton Asia to expand the production capacity at its UHG coal mine in the South Gobi region of Mongolia. The contract adjustment will ramp up production rates from current levels to 10 million tonnes per year by June 2011. Leighton Asia was awarded the mining contract for the UHG Mine in February 2009 and coal production commenced in April 2009 with total production of 1.8 million tonnes in the year ended 31 December 2009.

     ¡°The request to expand capacity is a result of our success in developing an efficient, world class operation at the UHG Mine. Our strong working relationship with Energy Resources and the local communities in the South Gobi region will ensure the continued success of this project,¡± said Mr Hamish Tyrwhitt, Managing Director of Leighton Asia.

      ¡°We established our office in Ulaanbaatar in 2007. Since that time, our mining experts have focused on establishing a world class commercially competitive mining operation at the UHG mine that meets international best practices in production, training, safety and environmental management,¡± he said.