Mining Minister works at Khushuut coal mine

Economy
unurzul@montsame.mn
2017-11-27 15:56:34
Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/ On the occasion of 95th anniversary of mining sector in Mongolia, the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry organized a ‘Western regional forum’ in Khovd aimag. Within the event, the Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry D. Sumyabazar and Member of Parliament (MP) A. Undraa worked at Khushuut coal mine on November 27.

Seeing the operations of the mine, D. Sumyabazar appraised authorities of ‘Mon En Co’ LLC for supporting local development.
From 2007, ‘Mon En Co’ LLC conducts mining activities at Khushuut coalmine in Darvi soum, Khovd aimag. An actual reserve of the mine was re-estimated in March, 2016 to be 87.99 million tons.

Currently, there are more than 1000 workers in the coking coalmine, of whom about 700 are Mongolians. Moreover, the company supplies coal to local citizens at about 40 percent reduced price.  The company also receives major parts of its goods from local entities and hires companies of Khovd aimag for coal transportation.  
After visiting the mine site, the Minister D. Sumyabazar and MP A. Undraa held a meeting with local citizens. At the meeting, the citizens said that all citizens of Khushuut bagh have been affected by respiratory diseases due to overburden removal operations taking place near the settlement. 

Khushuut bagh has 215 households, over 1500 citizens. The evacuation of citizens has been on talk for several years, but without a decisive action. “There must not be any interest above human life and health, protected by the Constitution of Mongolia,” stressed the Minister. He pledged to pay attention to this issue.

Khovd aimag’s Governor D. Galsandondog said that the State Budget 2018 has included MNT600 million for evacuating the settlement; thus the company and local administration will jointly solve the remaining expenses required to organize the evacuation and commence the action within 2018.

He added, “Overburden removal and extraction are carried out normally according to relevant standards and regulations. However, dry washing technology of coal harms the environment. Last year, we built an agreement with the company on using wet washing technology.”
M. Unurzul