China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group (CNMMG) recently signed a nickel production contract with a mining company under Myanmar's Ministry of Mines.

    The contract involves the development of a large-scale nickel mining and smelting project in Myanmar, with more than 800 million US dollars investment.

    It is expected to start the construction in late 2008, and to be put into operation in 2011, with annual nickel-iron alloy output of 85,000 tons, and nickel-metal output of 22,000 tons.

    The project will provide 1,500 employment opportunities for localpeople.

    Construction work will be undertaken by China No. 15 Metallurgical Construction Co., Ltd., which is a large state-owned constructionenterprise under CNMMG.