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Mining boom in Mongolia


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With huge amounts of unexploited natural resources (gold, copper, coal and more) the Mongolian economy is estimated to grow massively in the years to come. But will it also benefit the people in Mongolia? Our work shows how mining operations lead to pollution and displacement for local herders and exacerbate water scarcity issues.

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dust & displacement | water scarcity | European financing | latest updates | publications

Dust, displacement and intimidation in the Gobi Altai mountains

Nomadic herders in the Gobi Altai mountains are facing pollution and displacement by the Tayan Nuur iron ore mine that receives financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. While the mining company Altain Khuder responds to criticism with intimidation, the EBRD is not doing enough to protect herders’ rights.

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A multimedia story about herders impacted by the Tayan Nuur mine

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Also available in Polish >>

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Dust, displacement, intimidation - Mongolian herders are under pressure by iron ore mine
Blog post | December 9, 2014

Report: Impacts of the Tayan Nuur iron ore mine on nomadic herders' lives in Mongolia
Study | December 9, 2014

Case study on the impacts of the global iron ore sector: Altain Khuder in Mongolia
SOMO case study | December 17, 2014

 

Water scarcity in the South Gobi desert

In the South Gobi desert, the highly intensive mining industry with its immense need for water can pose precarious risks to the livelihoods of herders.

Read more
Spirited away - Mongolia's mining boom and the people that development left behind (pdf)
Study | January 30, 2012

 

EBRD financing for mining in Mongolia

Online debate

Following a discussion in the European Parliament on the EBRD's mining operations, Bankwatch organised a live-streamed google hangout with Mongolian campaigner Sukhgerel Dugersuren.

Watch the recording here >>

By financing several mining projects over the last few years, the EBRD followed other investors' bias towards the natural resources sector in Mongolia. Instead, it should diversify its portfolio in the country to help Mongolia reduce its dependency on commodity exports.

Read more:
The EBRD in Mongolia: Economic diversity is something else >>
Blog post | September 18, 2012

 

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects

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Latest developments

 

New EBRD mining strategy promotes unstable dependency on raw materials exports, say NGOs
Press release | June 1, 2012

Moscow, Russia -- In response to a public presentation today from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development of its new mining strategy, NGOs CEE Bankwatch Network and Greenpeace Russia are calling on the bank to deprioritise investments in mining and mining-related infrastructure in order to avoid deepening the dependency of its countries of operation on raw materials exports.

EBRD energy lending report: conflicting investments end up contradicting climate science
Press release | May 17, 2012

London – Almost half of the 6.7 billion euros lent by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) between 2006-2011 goes to support for fossil fuels, according to a report issued today by CEE Bankwatch Network. Support for coal, oil and gas must be discontinued altogether, argues Bankwatch, if the bank’s commendable efforts on increasing financing for renewables and energy efficiency are to have a positive impact in the global fight against climate change.

Caucasus, CEE, Central Asia, EU neighbourhood, Southern Mediterranean
Mongolia as Minegolia? Paying the Price
Bankwatch in the media | February 16, 2012

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/mongolia-as-mine-golia-paying-...

Australian miners test Mongolian frontier
Bankwatch in the media | February 3, 2012

Mongolia is not being short-changed as foreign miners rush to take a slice of its enormous mineral wealth, Australian explorers operating in the vast Asian nation say.

Mongolia: Mining Project Leaving Herders Without Livelihoods
Bankwatch in the media | February 2, 2012

Mining projects in Mongolia promise development of social and economic infrastructure and a way to alleviate poverty, but on the wayside, local communities near the mines are feeling the negative impact as their environment and traditional livelihoods are affected.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/02/02/mongolia-mining-project-leaving...

Publications

The EBRD's new Mining Operations Policy: A commentary on consultation process and content
Briefing | November 2, 2012

The long awaited EBRD Mining Operations Policy was released last week without much noise. It has taken the EBRD more than 3 years to prepare a document which had raised hopes it could improve the bank's activities in the mining sector. Most of these hopes, however, have not been fulfilled.

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Money, and the EU's climate agenda, to burn: EBRD mining strategy on a carbon collision course
Bankwatch Mail | October 9, 2012

With the EBRD due to sign off on its new mining strategy in November this year, 22 MEPs have pointed out in an open letter to European commissioners that given the state of the policy draft the bank risks contradicting the EU Resource Efficiency Roadmap and responsible mining principles. At risk of being compromised too, Bankwatch believes, are the EU's 2020 strategy and EU commitments on climate change and biodiversity protection.

Letter to DG Environment: Flaws in Environmental Impact Assessment of the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia
Advocacy letter | September 25, 2012

The Environmental and Social Impact Asessment (ESIA) for the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia has been delayed for years and comes at a time when the commercial operations are soon to begin. By including only the construction phase of the mine, the impacts of its actual operations are neglected with potentially devastating impacts on water reserves in the Gobi desert - especially because the interrelation of the deep (fossil water) and shallow aquifers that are used by herders has not been thoroughly assessed and is based only on modelling and assumptions with no monitoring data publicly available.

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EBRD investments in Mongolia's mining sector
Briefing | September 19, 2012

International mining companies and financial institutions want to help transform Mongolia into a modern mining nation. To realise this plan they are banking on the vast coal, copper and gold deposits in the Gobi desert. This paper examines the environmental and social risks connected to this approach and offers suggestions for the EBRD's engagement in the country.

Read more on our blog

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Greens call for active efforts by European Commission to ensure an improved EBRD mining strategy
Advocacy letter | July 12, 2012

The letter by the Green members of the European Parliament calls for active efforts of the EU representative at the European Bank for Reconstructoin and Development to ensure that the bank's new mining strategy endorses EU principles and standards for resource efficiency, biodiversity protection, poverty eradication, inclusive growth, transparency and public participation in the mining projects the EBRD supports.

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Reports

Fact-finding mission report from the Tayan Nuur iron ore mine in the Gobi Altai mountains, December 2014

Download as pdf

Spirited away – Mongolia's mining boom and the people that development left behind

Report from a fact-finding mission to the Oyu Tolgoi gold and copper mine and the Tavan Tolgoi coal mine, January 2012

Download as pdf

Impacts of the global iron ore sector. Case study: Altain Khuder in Mongolia

How do business factors such as the need for infrastructure, mine lifespan and production targets interfere with a meaningful engagement of local communities? A case study by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, SOMO.

Download as pdf

 

Images from Mongolia

Tayan Nuur iron ore mine in the Gobi Altai mountains
See it on flickr >>

Tavan Tolgoi (coal) and Oyu Tolgoi (gold, copper) mines in the South Gobi desert
See it on flickr >>