Leighton Contractors Wins $240m Mine Project

Issue Date:  09 April 2003
Issued By:  Leighton Holdings Limited

Company Announcements Office
Australian Stock Exchange Limited
Level 4
20 Bridge Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Re: Leighton Contractors Wins $240m Mine Project

Dear Sir,

Please find attached a copy of a media release to be issued today by Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Limited.

Yours sincerely,


A.J. MOIR
Company Secretary

Leighton Contractors Wins $240m Mine Project

Issue Date: 9 April 2003
Issued by: Leighton Contractors Pty Limited

Leighton Contractors has been awarded the $240 million Moorvale coal mining contract in Central Queensland for an initial fixed 3 year term with a further 4 year option.

The Moorvale joint venture participants are the Australian mining company Macarthur Coal, AMCI, the Australian arm of the Chinese CITIC group and the Japanese groups Marubeni Corporation, Nissho Iwai Corporation, Kawasho Corporation and Nippon Steel Trading. The joint venture is managed by Australian Premium Coals (APC).

The Moorvale mine is located 12 kilometres from the Coppabella mine in Central Queensland where Leighton Contractors has worked for APC over the last three years.

APC’s General Manager of the Moorvale Project, Taff Greenwood said, “We’ve come to trust Leighton Contractors’ ability to perform to its promises at Coppabella and we’re very pleased to be extending our ongoing relationship at Moorvale. The Leighton Contractors’ mining team has demonstrated a commitment to achieving high quality outcomes combined with good safety and environmental performance results.”

Leighton Contractors has mobilised to site and is currently establishing its infrastructure facilities whilst removing overburden waste in preparation for mining coal.

Leighton Contractors, Managing Director Bob Merkenhof said, “The award of this contract demonstrates our commitment to selective growth in the mining industry and the importance of good client relations in achieving our goals.”

Leighton Contractors was recently awarded a $170 million extension at Yarrie Nimingarra open pit iron ore mine in Western Australia and are carrying out an $89 million contract for mining operations for the St Ives Gold Mining Company, also in Western Australia. In Queensland, Leighton Contractors has a $102 million contract to mine overburden and coal at the Coppabella mine.

Leighton Contractors is an Australian market leader in the delivery of complex infrastructure, project development, building, contract mining and construction. The company currently has in excess of $2.8 billion work in hand and employs over 2,000 people.

Annie Stante    
Manager, Corporate Affairs    
Leighton Contractors    
Telephone: (02) 9925 6675 or (0413) 316 948