Metallurgical coal developer Aspire Mining has received the thumbs up from the Mongolian Mineral Reserve Council, which approved the total ore reserves estimate for its Ovoot Early Development Project, or “OEDP”.
Igor Vasilievich Milostnykh, First Deputy Director of UBTZ, and David Paull, Executive Chairman of Aspire Mining Limited (right), at the signing of the Cooperation Agreement that guarantees rail capacity for the company’s OEDP coal transport to the Mongolian-Chinese border.Picture: Supplied
In a comprehensive update, the company also outlined that approvals for its Mongolian-compliant Ovoot Feasibility Study updated with the OEDP PFS results were also expected shortly from the same Government agency.
These milestones form the technical basis for all other project permitting and enable Aspire to commence the related environmental studies.
The company has also initiated community engagement and public consultation works as part of the wider environmental and social impact studies and project management plans.
Critically, community stakeholders have combined the Erdenet to Ovoot haul road construction as part of the OEDP mine development works in their broader considerations for support of the project.
Given these developments, Aspire revealed that the OEDP DFS is now expected to hit the streets by the end of 2019 and that it was still on track for the first production of washed coking coal in the first half of 2021.
The company has also entered into a Cooperation Agreement with Ulaanbaatar Tumur Zam Joint Stock Company, or “UBTZ”, who is the operator of the Trans Mongolian rail network, which will guarantee rail capacity for Aspire’s OEDP coal transportation to the Mongolian-China border, 1,500km to the southeast.
Supporting this development, company management recently visited several coal handling and preparation plants in China, which outlined some efficient and low water and power consuming options to treat its Ovoot products.
Aspire has also met with the Mongolian Government owners of the large Tavan Tolgoi coking and thermal coal deposits in the southern part of the country, where synergies may exist for the blending of Tavan’s non-coking coal resources with Ovoot’s premium coking coals.
Preliminary work showed that an attractive value adding opportunity exists for combining the products from both deposits, which will also benefit from a recent initiative to construct a rail line from Tavan Tolgoi to an existing railhead at Sainshand to the east northeast.
The beauty is that Aspire’s Ovoot coal products will travel through Sainshand on route to China, which makes the small city an ideal location for blending of the future coal products from the separate mines, where an industrial park development has been touted.
During April, Aspire said that Chinese State-owned enterprise China Gezhouba Group had provided a Letter of Interest to construct the critical haul road that will link the OEDP to an existing railhead at Erdenet.
ULAN BATOR, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia received agriculture machinery from China on Thursday with a soft loan from the Chinese government, with senior officials from both sides attending a handover ceremony here.
Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Xing Haiming said that the agriculture machinery, provided within the framework of a project on promoting the agriculture production of Mongolia and funded with a soft loan from China, will contribute greatly to the development of the Mongolian agriculture sector and further development of bilateral agricultural cooperation.
Chultem Ulaan, Mongolian minister of food, agriculture and light industry, said that the much-needed agriculture equipment will help Mongolian agricultural entities to upgrade their older equipment and accelerate the development of the country's agriculture sector.
"This is one of the major investments in the Mongolian agriculture sector in history," Ulaan said. Enditem
ULAN BATOR, May 22 (Xinhua) -- One out of every eight families in Mongolia is single-parent, presidential advisor for civil society and human rights affairs Gantumur Uyanga said Wednesday.
"Single-parent families are on the rise in Mongolia as divorce is on the rise year after year. Unemployment or financial problem has become one of the main reasons for divorce in the country," Uyanga said at a national conference titled "Let's create child and family-friendly environments."
"We have to pay special attention to creating child and family-friendly environments in the country by offering job to at least one member of a family and strengthening family laws," said the presidential advisor.
According to Uyanga, currently, there are around 80,000 single-mother families and over 20,000 single-father families in Mongolia with a population of 3.2 million.
TEHRAN, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran traded 2,544 tons of non-oil commodities worth 11.43 million U.S. dollars with Mongolia in the last Iranian calendar year ending on March 20, 2019, Eghtesad Online news website reported on Tuesday.
The figures registered a decline of 18.14 percent and 23.16 percent in weight and value respectively compared with the previous year, the report said.
Iran's exports to Mongolia stood at 442 tons worth 253,000 dollars.
Iran mainly exported floorings, raisins, pineapple juice and chocolate to Mongolia during the 12-month period.
Mongolia exported 2,102 tons of goods worth 11.18 million dollars to Iran.
Mongolia's main exports to Iran included lamb and mutton.
Iran traded 2,523 tons of non-oil commodities worth $11.44 million with Mongolia in the last fiscal year (ended March 20, 2019), registering a 18.14% and 23.16% decline in tonnage and value respectively compared with the year before, latest data released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration show.
Iran’s exports to Mongolia stood at 442 tons worth $253,712, down 14.82% and 69.35% in tonnage and value respectively year-on-year.
Iran mainly exported floorings, raisins, pineapple juice and chocolates to Mongolia during the 12-month period.
Mongolia exported 2,102 tons of goods worth $11.18 million to Iran, down 18.77% and 20.45% in tonnage and value and value respectively YOY. Mongolia was the 70th exporter of goods to Iran over the year and its main commodities included lamb and mutton.
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AFNS) -- Gen. CQ Brown Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, met with senior leaders from Mongolia and the United States, May 14, to seek opportunities to enhance cooperation and partnership with the Mongolian Air Force Command.
Gen. CQ Brown Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, receives the traditional gift of a horse from the Mongolian Air Force Command during a visit to the Chingisiin Huree Camp, south of Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar, May 14. Brown had the honor of naming the horse, to remain in country to exemplify the enduring relationship between the two nations and two air forces. In tribute to his home state of Texas and the state from which he now serves, Hawaii, the general named the young horse, “Lone Star Koa.” Koa is Hawaiian for warrior. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Embassy)
“It is a real honor for me to be here to gain a greater understanding of our two air forces and identify ways we can make progress together,” Brown said. “We have many shared interests and values and we look forward to greater cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the region and around the world.”
Though Mongolia has a history of military aviation capability, the MAFC only recently reestablished in January 2017, making Brown’s visit not only his first time in the country, but also the first for a PACAF commander since the MAFC’s establishment.
Developing an air force has been one of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s long-term priorities for greater engagement with Mongolia and part of the command’s overall goal to assist the Mongolian Armed Forces in pursuing defense reform priorities.
As such, the visit builds upon a number of frequent engagements between the two nations, to include Defense Minister Enkhbold Nyamaa’s visit with Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan in April in Washington, D.C., and the inaugural Airman-to-Airman talks hosted at PACAF Headquarters at Joint Base Pearl-Harbor Hickam, Hawaii, in March.
“It was really important for me to come here after the Airman-to-Airman talks to solidify the topics we discussed and highlight our commitment to the long-term relationship,” Brown said. “Frequent engagement at various levels is important to building the relationship and enhancing capabilities in areas of shared interest throughout the region.”
Throughout the two-day visit, Brown met with key defense and military leadership, to include Minister Nyamaa, MAF chief of General Staff, Maj. Gen. Ganbat Ayush, MAFC commander, Brig. Gen. Enkhbayar Ochir, as well as U.S. Ambassador Michael Klecheski and members of the U.S. Embassy.
In addition to evaluating the success of the Airman-to-Airman talks, discussions during the visit included opportunities to enhance training, exercises and subject-matter expert exchanges.
In Mongolian tradition and showcasing the importance of horses to their culture, Brown had the honor of receiving a horse to be named by him, and to remain in-country to exemplify the enduring relationship. In tribute to his home state of Texas and the state from which he now serves, Hawaii, the general named the young horse, “Lone Star Koa.” Koa is Hawaiian for warrior.
In addition to the long-standing relationship of supporting missions in Afghanistan and the United Nations peacekeeping operations, other examples of the bilateral relationship include the strong bonds between the Alaska Air National Guard through the State Partnership Program as well as participation and observation in a number of multilateral events and exercises throughout the region.
“There is plenty of opportunity between the things we have worked on together in the past, the things we are doing today, and our commitment to increased engagement in the future,” Brown said.
Additionally, in 2018, the first Mongolian cadet entered the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the first MAFC officer completed U.S. pilot training.
In late July, early August, Mongolia will cohost a Pacific Angel humanitarian event, part of a three-part series of humanitarian assistance and civil military assistance events held annually around the Indo-Pacific region.
Brown also provided an invitation for the MAFC to attend the Indo-Pacific Safety Air Force Exchange in August in Hawaii. He is scheduled to host MAFC leadership, alongside many other partner nations, at the next Pacific Air Chiefs Symposium at PACAF in December.
In June, the MAF and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command will co-host the annual Khaan Quest multilateral peacekeeping exercise in Mongolia, considered the cornerstone of the defense cooperation between the two nations. More than 1,700 military members are expected to take part in various exercises between June 14-28, to include an appearance from INDOPACOM leadership.
ULAN BATOR, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia is keen on increasing exports of agriculture products, especially meat and meat products, to China, Mongolian Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry Chultem Ulaan has said.
"The Mongolian government has set a goal to develop a multi-pillar economy in a bid to diversify its heavily mining-dependent economy. Promoting the development of the agricultural sector is seen as the most reachable solution to achieve the goal," Ulaan told Xinhua here in an interview on Tuesday.
"Now, we aim to increase the exports of non-mining sectors to China," the minister said, noting that China has been the biggest market and the top export destination for Mongolia.
Mongolia has a great chance to promote economic growth by increasing its exports of high-quality ecologically pure food products such as meat and meat products and organic dairy products, Ulaan said, adding that China, with a population of nearly 1.4 billion, is the primary target market for the landlocked Asian country.
Mongolia earned around 190 million U.S. dollars from meat exports in 2018, with most of the revenue coming from its exports to China, the minister said, stressing that the nomadic country has set itself the goal of increasing the revenue of meat and meat products to 1 billion dollars.
The number of livestock animals in Mongolia has now reached 85 million so far this year after around 19 million dams (female animals) across the country have given birth, the minister said.
He added that the Mongolian government has been paying special attention to disinfecting all livestock to prevent animal diseases and boost meat exports.
Agriculture is a traditional sector of the Asian country, producing approximately almost 30 percent of the gross domestic product and 16 percent of the total exports, Ulaan said.
He added that more than 50 percent of the total employees in the country work in this sector, forming the main source of their livelihood with revenue from selling agricultural products.
State-owned Engineers India Ltd (EIL) Wednesday said it has signed an agreement to provide project management consultancy for a new 1.5 million tonne refinery being set up in Mongolia.
The pact was signed with Mongol Refinery State Owned LLC, the company said in a statement here.
The contract was signed in the presence of D Sumyaabazar, Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry of Mongolia.
EIL had carried out a Detailed Feasibility Study for the project and was subsequently pre-qualified and shortlisted for providing project management consultancy services to Mongol Refinery for the project.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Petrochemical refinery--near Sainshand in southern Dornogovi province--is to be built at an approximate cost of $1.25 billion
Refinery is expected to cut some of Mongolia’s dependence on Russian fuel
NEW DELHI: India and Mongolia are expected to sign an agreement this week for the construction of Mongolia’s first petrochemical refinery that is expected to cut some of its dependence on Russian fuel. When signed, the project will be the largest being undertaken by the government of India under its Lines of Credit programme, two people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.
The petrochemical refinery -- near Sainshand in southern Dornogovi province -- is to be built at an approximate cost of $1.25 billion utilising the $1 billion line of credit announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ulan Bator in 2015. It is expected to be completed by 2022.
“As of now the negotiations are on, many issues are resolved and others narrowed down," said one of the people cited above. The decision to use the line of credit offered by India to set up the petrochemical plant was taken by the Mongolian government, a second person cited above said. On India’s part, “this is the largest project being undertaken by the government of India under its line of credit scheme," the second person said.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the petrochemical plant took place in June 2018 during the visit of home minister Rajnath Singh to Mongolia.
“Mongolia has its own oil fields producing enough crude for its requirements. However, almost all of its crude oil is exported and all of its finished petrochemical products are imported. The establishment of this refinery will be a significant step towards reduction of import dependence and will ensure energy security for the country," the second person said.
When built up, the capacity of the refinery will be 1.5 mmtpa (million metric tons per annum), with diesel and gasoline as the primary products and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), fuel oil and jet fuel being produced as secondary products.
According to news reports, products from the Mongolian refinery could be sold to China. Mongolia’s big southern neighbour produces around 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude, and imports more than 9 million bpd, according to official government data. Mongolia produced 7.6 million barrels of oil in 2017, about 21,000 bpd, amounting to 6% of its total export earnings, a Reuters report said.
Besides the petrochemical complex, India will also be taking up work for the construction of 27 kilometres of railway line, 17.5 kilometres of road and 19 kilometres of power transmission line to connect the refinery to existing networks. These are to be completed by September 2019, the second person cited above said.
Ties between India and Mongolia date back centuries with Buddhism seen as a major binding factor between the two countries. In more recent times, the two countries have set up mechanisms like the India-Mongolia Joint Working Group for Defence and the “India-Mongolia Joint Committee on Cooperation (IMJCC)" chaired at ministerial level besides others to cement cooperation.
“For Mongolians, India is one of counter-weights to their neighbours (Russia and China), a “spiritual neighbour," a declared third neighbour and strategic partner and centre for pilgrimage," says a background note on bilateral ties.
New Delhi’s attempts to boost cooperation with Mongolia come against the backdrop of China making inroads into South Asia--Sri Lanka and Nepal besides Myanmar--considered India’s periphery. In recent years, New Delhi has increased interaction with countries like South Korea, Japan and Vietnam--all countries seen as on the periphery of China. Analysts say India’s interaction with Mongolia gives New Delhi much needed diplomatic and strategic leverage vis a vis the big countries in Mongolia’s neighbourhood.
MINSK, 11 May (BelTA) - Belarus and Mongolia signed an intergovernmental general agreement on an export loan. Supplies of Belarusian machinery to Mongolia will be financed by the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus, BelTA learned from the bank. The general agreement provides for the total credit limit of €50 million. Plans are in place to sign the first individual loan agreement with the Development Bank to finance the supply of fire equipment to Mongolia. “Taking into account the intensification of bilateral cooperation, Belarus will continue to develop export credit projects to finance the supplies of Belarusian products to Mongolia,” the bank said. The general agreement was signed in Ulaanbaatar during a visit of a Belarusian delegation to Mongolia. The delegation members met with the leadership of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport, the State Agency for Emergency Situations, the mayor of Ulaanbaatar, and several Mongolian companies interested in supplying Belarusian equipment.
ULAN BATOR, May 10 (Xinhua) — Mongolia earned 701.4 million U.S. dollars from the exports of copper concentrates in the first four months of this year, up 4 percent year-on-year, local media reported Friday, citing the Mongolian Customs General Administration (MCGA).
The Asian country exported a total of 489,100 tons of copper concentrates in the period between January and April in 2019, an increase of 30,500 tons from the same period last year, the MCGA said in a statement.
Mining is the most important sector of Mongolia’s economy. The country is rich in natural resources such as gold, silver, iron, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, and fluorspar.
The mining industry accounted for 72 percent of industrial output, 87 percent of total exports, 24 percent of the gross domestic product and 75 percent of foreign investment in 2018, according to the country’s Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry.
