It comes just weeks after the company added the South Porcupine federal lease to its North Antelope Rochelle complex.

The bid by the company’s BTU Western Resources arm for the 6364-acre, 721 million ton tract was $793,270,310.80, or $1.10 per mineable ton.

The newest lease is also adjacent to the North Antelope Rochelle mine as well as the School Creek mine, both of which are Peabody affiliates.

It is also adjacent to additional unleased federal coal.

BTU Western initially submitted the lease by application for the tract, which resulted in the auction process.

The BLM said Peabody’s was the only bid received.

“Peabody has successfully leased more than 1.1 billion tons of reserves adjacent to its North Antelope Rochelle mine in recent months and the company controls four billion tons of coal reserves in the region,” Peabody officials said.

“Peabody is the market leader in the Powder River Basin as the largest producer and reserve holder.

“The company is well positioned to serve long-term demand growth for domestic needs and export markets.”

Peabody's flagship North Antelope Rochelle complex is the world's largest and most productive operation, shipping 109Mt in 2011.

The company will pay an annual rental payment of $3 per acre as well as a royalty payment of 12.5% of the mined coal’s value.