Mining industry in Australia is looking at India as a huge investment destination, particularly in contract mining with Kolkata as the hub of operations.

The Australian High Commission on Thursday reported that four Australian mining companies Mintech Pty Ltd, Salva Resources, Indian Resources and Thiess Leighton India are in the process of opening offices in Kolkata shortly.

Miltech is setting up its first mineral analysis laboratory at Kolkata and presently it is on the process of identifying the land, which it expects to be completed by March next year.

The investment for the project would be between Rs 5-10 crore for the initial set up and it is expected to be operational in one and a half years time.

Salva Resources is a mining consultancy service provider and acts to link leading Australian mining companies who are interested to come to India.

"We are acting as a  consultant to a number of small and mid sized resources companies from Australia, who are interested to invest in India," said Lachlan Broadfoot, managing director of the company.

The Indian Resources is a Perth-based subsidiary of Monark Gold Group is also looking to set up office at Kolkata to monitor the operation of the Eastern India. 

The company has already entered into a joint venture with the Hindustan Copper Ltd [Get Quote] and is looking for further projects in the region. Thiess Leighton India too is opening its office in Kolkata to control the projects of Eastern India.  The company has 3 offices in the country at Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai and has recently bagged a coal mining project with Jharkhand based Avijeet Group.

Speaking at a trilateral mining seminar on mining, John McCarthy, Australian High Commissioner to India said, with the change in the legislative norms and reforms more and more Australian companies would come to India.

"As the progress done on the mining reform path gathers momentum, more and more Australian mining companies would come to India," he said.

Terming West Bengal the right state, the high commissioner added that Kolkata should be the headquarters for the operations in India.