1.   Queensland will contribute to increased exports of thermal coal and will also benefit from a rise in Asian imports of coking coal for steel-making.

2.   Bakrie treasurer Arun Bathia said due diligence was being carried out on the Kalimantan thermal coal operations by four interested parties, the paper said.

3.   Competition to provide thermal coal was heating up from low-cost suppliers including Indonesia, China and South Africa, he said.

4.   Major Australian companies are in Japan this week negotiating the price of thermal coal.

5.   Responding to a question, Parer said a trade tour to India identified two major areas of interest -- coking and thermal coal.

6.   The settlement sets a benchmark for all Australian thermal coal sales to Japan, and will flow through to negotiations throughout the rest of Asia.