The Thai coal mining company Banpu Public Company Limited says it will invest an unspecified sum in Hunnu Coal LLC, an Australian company that mines coal in Mongolia.
Overall the company says it plans to spend USD 600 million on various coal projects around the world, with the bulk going toward projects in Indonesia and Australia, because the company believes mining in those countries could be especially profitable in 2012.

Banpu says it expects revenues to increase by 15 to 20 percent in 2012, with one company official predicting that a ton of coal will sell for more than USD 100 this year.