Asciano Ltd. (AIO.AU) has begun talks with the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance in the hope of snaring up to 15% of the coal venture's haulage business from rival rail operator QR National Ltd. (QRN.AU), the Australian Financial Review reported Wednesday.

"We're in very, very preliminary talks," David Irwin, general manager of Asciano's Pacific National Coal unit, was quoted as saying. "In the next six to nine months, that will really heat up."

Haulage contracts with QR National, which come up for renewal in 2015-16, cover eight mines owned by the joint venture between BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) and Mitsubishi Corp. (8058.TO) and represent about half of the A$1.7 billion (US$1.7 billion) QR National earns in total coal haulage revenue, the AFR reported.

Newspaper website: http://www.afr.com

-By Melbourne bureau; +61 3 9292 2094; djnews.sydney@dowjones.com

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