Category Archives: Mining

Mining Governance: Tavan Tolgoi

Tavan Tolgoi was a costly test for the Mongolia’s mining governance.  It tested the resilience of the revised mining governance under the 2006 Minerals Law, checked the unity of political elites, especially of two major parties, and examined the resolve … Continue reading

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Mining Governance: Weak Institutions and Greedy Politicians

Despite seemingly clear codified decision-making procedures that exist on the paper, the majority of the mining governance related decisions has been non-transparent and becoming more difficult to understand the politics behind them. Laws, standards, and regulations are passed today, but … Continue reading

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Mining Governance in Mongolia: A Messy Field

This is a brief, possibly too simple title of my field research in Mongolia.  The mining governance is an interesting subject for anyone studying Mongolian politics because it links Mongolia with the world, triggers rent-seeking competition among politicians, and upsets the local community, … Continue reading

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Learning about Development Policy in Uvs Aimag

I just visited Uvs province in Western Mongolia for the first time and had the chance to meet with stakeholder representatives from government, civil society, small businesses, and the corporate sector to learn about their development policy. Fascinating 1st visit … Continue reading

Posted in CIRDI, Civil Society, Countryside, Development, Mining, Policy, Policy, Regulation, Social Issues, Social Movements, Water | Tagged | 2 Comments

Contract transparency in Mongolian Mining

 Unbundling contract transparency in the extractive industry: the case of Mongolia – Part I Contract transparency is crucial in ensuring deals in the extractive industry deliver better outcomes for the host nation and community. Civil society has long campaigned for … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, International Agreements, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Social Movements | Tagged | 3 Comments

EITI in Mongolia at the Tipping Point

The EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) is no longer a stranger in the Mongolian resource governance discourses as witnessed at the First National Forum and 5th National Corporate Social Responsibility Forum, both organized in November, 2015.  The debate now focuses … Continue reading

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Policy Series: Mining Policy Failures (I)

Mining policy is a good entry point to understand the overall policy-making processes of Mongolia. For one, mining has been one of the dominant economic sectors of Mongolia since the early 1900s.[1] Second, with extensive mining activities, mining has caused … Continue reading

Posted in Governance, Mining, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy, Policy, Policy Series | Tagged | 2 Comments

Oyu Tolgoi on Track Again

By Julian Dierkes Last week, this is what I tweeted AUS article abt possible progress on #OyuTolgoi negotiatons (http://t.co/ARV73N2xS6) got me thinking abt analysis for day after agreement. — Julian Dierkes (@jdierkes) May 14, 2015 It looks like the day … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Foreign Investment, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Party Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Guest Post: Assessing Khan Resources Arbitration

Matthew Levine Following expropriation of Dornod uranium investment, Khan Resources announces conclusion of arbitration with Mongolian government Intro Khan, a mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange’s venture board, its holding company, and its erstwhile joint-venture partner, recently announced … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Canada, Foreign Investment, International Agreements, International Relations | 1 Comment

Arbitration Award to Khan Resources

By Julian Dierkes On Mar 2 2015 it was announced that erstwhile Canadian uranium miner Khan Resources was awarded US$100mio in arbitration proceedings administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague (Netherlands). The proceedings were rooted in … Continue reading

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Poll Results – Direct and Indirect

By Julian Dierkes PM Saikhanbileg has announced the results of the mega-projects vs austerity SMS poll. This announcement is important because we learn about this particular direct democracy initiative, but also because it included an announcement of proposals to revise … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Foreign Investment, Governance, JD Democratization, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy, Politics, Public Opinion | Tagged | 2 Comments

Progress on Oyu Tolgoi?

By Julian Dierkes The Mongolian government has been battling a homemade economic crisis for some two years now. It has been a largely self-inflicted crisis brought on by some hasty policy decisions regarding investments that have led to a massive … Continue reading

Posted in China, Foreign Investment, Foreign Policy, Mining, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy, Russia | Tagged | Leave a comment

Why are American investors struggling in Mongolia?

Unlike the 1990s, Mongolia is now in the radar of US investors. Then, Mongolians were desperate for US investors, but few responded because of the unattractive market environment, uncertain political and socio-economic development, and undeveloped regulatory framework for foreign investment. … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Foreign Investment, Mining | Tagged | 2 Comments

FM Baird to Visit Mongolia

According to Mongolian news sources ( 24 Tsag | infomongolia.com), Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird will be visiting Ulaanbaatar July 23-25. There’s no official Canadian announcement as of July 20, but let’s assume that this visit is really happening, after … Continue reading

Posted in Bilateral Aid, Business, Canada, Diaspora, Foreign Policy, International Agreements, International Relations, Mongolia and ... | Tagged | Leave a comment

In Ulaanbaatar with EITI Project Graduate Students

Together with Dirk van Zyl, a colleague in UBC’s NBK Institute of Mining Engineering, I supervised an interdisciplinary group of graduate students in a project on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and focused especially on EITI reporting in Mongolia … Continue reading

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