Chasing Mongolia

I am incredibly excited to be working on the EITI project in Mongolia and it feels like my involvement with this subject has been a long time coming. I completed my undergraduate degree in 2010 and at the time contemplated pursuing my Masters in Mining Engineering focusing on social, socio-economic and environmental impacts. At the time, it seemed everyone I spoke with pointed to Mongolia and the development of the Oyu Tolgoi mine and what it meant for he nomadic culture. I began familiarizing myself with the subject and became fascinated with the culture. I wanted to understand the implications of mining activity on the nomadic culture and the transition of individuals to urban life.

Well… I did not end up pursing my Masters at that time and instead spent the better half of 2 years traveling. I have dabbled in other areas as an engineer, but now find myself right back where I started pursuing a Masters in Mining Engineering at the University of British Columbia. Coincidentally, I even wrote of my knowledge of the implications of mining activity in Mongolia in my Statement of Intent. I wrote of my desire to pursue studies in this area and how “the development of Rio Tinto’s Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia’s Gobi desert is currently changing the landscape of the nomadic culture present in the same area. As this is a new area affected by the development of the mine, I am interested in exploring the extent of the impacts occurring in this region. The intention would be to address issues relating to water management, environmental sustainability and the social issues arising as herders try to transition in a more urban lifestyle. […] I hope to develop a framework and recommendations for addressing Mongolia’s issues.”