Interview

“Mongolia’s base for development is still very robust” Matthieu Le Blan, Head of the EBRD Residence Office in Ulaanbaatar, tells N.Ariuntuya of MMJ why “Mongolia remains very much a land of opportunity”, how the EBRD Board rates the utilisation of the investments made by the bank in Mongolia and what its future strategy and role in the country would be.

“I do not see copper prices rising before 2018” Dr D.Galsandorj, certified consulting engineer, tells MMJ about the sorry state of the global copper market now and expresses his apprehension that the outlook will not be any brighter in the near future, which could mean serious trouble for the Erdenet copper company.

“Being in business is like running a marathon race” Erdenes Mongol CEO B.Byambasaikhan tells S. Bold-Erdene why State-owned companies should be kept free of political interference, and why corporate success comes from vision, planning, and preparedness.

MNMA chief faults online licensing process Mongolian National Mining Association (MNMA) President N.Algaa answers MMJ’s questions on the recently started practice of online issuance of exploration licences.

“It will be better to get a mediator in the Rio dispute” Recently Mongolia lost a case submitted by Khan Resources to arbitration and the Rio Tinto dispute also might be referred to arbitration. S.Bold-Erdene talks to arbiter and legal advisor T.Altangerel to find out more about what the process entails.

Michael Jonas: Mongolia’s oil shale reserves are of global appeal MMJ had discussion with Michael Jonas, executive vice president of Genie Oil and Gas Inc., of his company’s projects in Mongolia. Mr.Jonas is in charge for developing Genie’s business in Mongolia and one of founding members of Mongolian Oil Shale Association.

Firstly, we should make measures to prepare export products which will succeed through the six ports in China Interview with the President of the Mongolian Exporters’ Association, certified mining engineer, professor D. Galsandorj

How delay in dealing with LLN adds to cost of compensation B.Batkhuu, Head of the Policy Implementation Agency of the Ministry of Mining, tells S.Bold-Erdene of the ways in which the issues around the law with the long name are being addressed.

First exploration licences by year-end S.Bold-Erdene finds out from B.Baatartsogt, Head of the Department of Geological Policy at the Strategy and Policy Planning Authority in the Ministry of Mining, details about issuance of new exploration licences and about the modalities of selection of 106 special licences.

“Our crisis is of our own making” Kh.Enkhsaikhan, President of Mongolian Association of Metal Producers, tells MMJ much of the crisis in the country’s mineral sector is homemade.

“We work for local and national development” S.Bold-Erdene talks to D.Otgonbayar, deputy director at Bold Tumur Eruu Gol LLC.

“The new law supports the private sector and reduces bureaucracy” Ch.Otgochuluu, Head of Strategy and Policy Planning at the Ministry of Mining, talks to S.Bold-Erdene on what lies ahead, now that the long awaited amendments to the Minerals Law have been approved.

“Mongolians must ask their own questions, find their own answers” Dr Julian Dierkes is associate professor at the Institute of Asian Research at the University of British Columbia in Canada. He has been a regular visitor to Mongolia in the past ten years and writes on developments in the country in various journals.

“The amendments will reintroduce a sense of urgency to the mining sector” B.Baatartsogt, head of the geological policy department of the strategic policy and planning authority at the Ministry of Mining, was part of the working group on amendments to the Minerals Law, to bring it in sync with the recently adopted State Policy in the Minerals Sector. N.Ariuntuya talks to him on the amendments, now awaiting discussion in Parliament.

“Selling raw coal after paying high transport costs makes little sense” Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi CEO Ya. Batsuuri tells G.Iderkhangai that better days for the coal trade are unlikely before next year and that Mongolian coal can be internationally competitive only when it is transported quicker and cheaper and only after value addition.

MONGOLIA NEEDS TRANSPARENT EXPORT PRACTICES D.Galsandorj, President of the Mongolian Exporters’ Association, consultant mining engineer and professor, talks to B.Tugsbilegt about the erosion in Mongolian mineral products’ export competitiveness and suggests corrective measures to be undertaken.

State-owned entities must have operational freedom G. Temuulen, Executive Director of Erdenes MGL, tells S. Bold-Erdene freedom from Government control is the key to the commercial success of any State-owned company. If necessary, there should be a legal bar on any form of Government involvement in a company’s daily work.

Russians “welcome, but only on competitive terms” The 17th and the latest inter-governmental meeting between Russia and Mongolia in Moscow had a long agenda and ended with several decisions to enhance collaboration between the two nations. These included some issues of importance in the mining sector. S. Bold-Erdene talks to vice minister of mining, O. Erdenebulgan, to find out more.

Peabody Energy: TT should to be developed as an integrated complex Mongolia’s economy has been suffering from an economic downturn due in part to lower commodity prices. Arshad Sayed, President for Peabody Energy in Mongolia and India, talks to MMJ on Mongolia’s economic outlook and how to enhance value creation in the country’s mining industry.

TT power plant to follow global best practices The planned thermal power plant based on Tavan Tolgoi coal is to be built with both Government and private investment. The Head of the Tavan Tolgoi Electrical Plant Proposal Department, Dr of Economics M. Enkhsaikhan, describes how things are progressing.