SYDNEY, Nov 21, 2007 -- UPI

The Australian company Theiss Leighton has signed a $1.3 billion agreement to develop a coal mine in the Indian state of Jharkhand.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp reported Thursday New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma announced the deal in New Delhi while on a trip to promote business and educational ties with India.

The project involves the development and operation for 20 years of an open cast mine in Jharkhand. The mine's ultimate capacity is expected to reach 6.57 million metric tons a year.

Iemma also announced the University of New South Wales and the University of Technology Sydney had signed agreements extending collaborative research opportunities with a number of Indian organizations.

The links are in the fields of medical science, environmental engineering, and energy management, the ABC said.

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