Category Archives: Mining

SOMO Report Preamble: Assumptions

By Julian Dierkes It struck me while reading the SOMO report on Oyu Tolgoi governance and tax structures that there are a number of big assumptions and elements in the Mongolian context that are not discussed explicitly, but that are … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign Investment, International Agreements, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining Governance, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy, Public Policy, Taxes | Tagged | Leave a comment

How Are We To Think About Rio’s Balancing of Political Risk and Taxation in Light of SOMO Report?

By Julian Dierkes Rio Tinto’s response to the SOMO report claims that the convoluted corporate structure that has been created for Oyu Tolgoi is not aimed at saving taxes, but rather at reducing investment risk. For as long as Rio … Continue reading

Posted in International Agreements, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining Governance, Oyu Tolgoi, Public Policy, Taxes | Tagged | Leave a comment

Mongolia at Davos 2018: Party like it’s 2009?

By Marissa Smith In recent years, Mongolia has regularly sent a delegation to the World Economic Forum at Davos. This year was somewhat less eventful than some years, when President Elbegdorj himself attended and presided over a “Mongolia Night” and … Continue reading

Posted in China, Development, Economics, Environment, Environment, Erdenet, Foreign Policy, Infrastructure, International Cooperation Fund, International Relations, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Mongolia and ..., Oyu Tolgoi, Policy, Politics, South Korea | Tagged | Leave a comment

President Kh. Battulga addressed the Parliament

By Bulgan B Mongolian President Kh Battulga addressed the Parliament during the opening of the fall session on October 2, 2017. While skipping the pleasantries, President listed the major challenges that Mongolia is confronted by and his opinions on those … Continue reading

Posted in Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Nationalism, Politics, Populism | Tagged | Leave a comment

Guest Post: Resource Governance Index Points to SOEs as Key Reform Target  

By N Dorjdari NRGI’s Resource Governance Index measures good governance in the extractives sectors of 81 countries. This year, Mongolia’s mining sector ranked 15th out of 89 assessed extractive sectors, with an overall score of 64 out of 100 points—a … Continue reading

Posted in Dorjdari Namkhaijantsan, Global Indices, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Sovereign Wealth Fund | Leave a comment

Norwegian Wealth

By Julian Dierkes One of my all-time favourite authors is 村上春樹. He rose to fame initially with his book, Norwegian Wood (ノルウェイの森). That was a reference to a Beatles song, of course. And thus the title of this post, combining literature, … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, Democracy, Development, EITI, Governance, Mining, Mining Governance, Policy, Politics, Public Policy, Public Service, Sovereign Wealth Fund | Tagged | 1 Comment

Guest Post: CIRDI Workshop Mongolian Young Professionals Shining

By Delgermaa B Short reflection on the capacity building training organized on June 19-23, 2017, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Mongolian Young Professional are Shining Just few weeks ago I had a chance to participate in the capacity building training organized by the … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, CIRDI, Delgermaa Boldbaatar, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy | Leave a comment

Guest Post: Erdenet Update 100%, Again Contested

By Marissa Smith At the close of the fall session of the Ikh Khural, Mongolia’s Parliament, the body voted to invalidate the sale of the 49% shares of Erdenet carried out in summer 2016, which transferred the ownership of the … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, Erdenet, Marissa Smith, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Policy, Politics | 3 Comments

Guest Post: Label of Erdenet ‘Nationalization’ Misleading

By Marissa Smith Many Fear Mongolian Government Decision Heralds Another Privatization, Securing of the Status Quo Possible Last week during an extra session after the final day of its fall session, Mongolia’s Parliament voted that the state acquire the share … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Corruption, Erdenet, Marissa Smith, Mining, Mining Governance, Policy | 21 Comments

Did (Any of) My Saikhanbileg Wishes Come True?

By Julian Dierkes In December 2014 when the first Saikhanbileg cabinet had been formed, I wrote a personal wishlist of actions I was hoping that cabinet might take. J Erdenebat was the finance minister in that cabinet. All the more … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, Democracy, Democratic Party, Education, Foreign Policy, Ikh Khural 2016, Mining, Party Politics, Policy, Policy, Politics, Public Policy, Public Service | Tagged | Leave a comment

Guest Post: Questions about Purchase of Erdenet Mining

Note: I am unable to corroborate what Lkhagva is reporting here, but a) I know him to be a committed investigative journalist, and b) this is a potentially important story given the significance of the Erdenet mine to Mongolia, not … Continue reading

Posted in Erdenet, Ikh Khural 2016, Lkhagva Erdene, Mining, Mining Governance, Russia | Tagged | Leave a comment

Зочны булан:Монгол улсын 2016 оны УИХ-ын сонгуулийн мөрийн хөтөлбөрт буй уул уухайн зорилтуудын тухай

Др. А. Энхбат Монгол улсын Их хурлын сонгуулийн санал хураалт 2016.06.29-нд болно. Энэ удаагийн сонгуульд 13 нам, 3 эвсэл өрсөлдөж байна. Эдгээрээс УИХ-ын сонгуульд 39 дээш нэр дэвшигч буюу засгийн газар байгуулах хэмжээнд өрсөлдөж буй МАН, АН, МАХН, “Тусгаар тогтнол, … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Democratic Party, Elections, Enkhbat Avirmed, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Mongolia and ..., Mongolian People's Party, Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, Politics, Public Policy | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Guest Post: Reflections of Mining in 2016 Campaign Platforms

By Enkhbat A Different Approaches to Mining The Mongolian parliamentary election will take place on June 29, 2016. There are 13 parties and 3 coalitions campaigning for the upcoming election. A brief analysis has been conducted on the four political entities, … Continue reading

Posted in CIRDI, Democratic Party, Economics, Elections, Enkhbat Avirmed, Environment, Ikh Khural 2016, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Mongolian People's Party, Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party | Tagged | Leave a comment

Civil Society Perspective on State’s Role in Large Resource Projects

By Bilguun N ICF Workshop “State’s Role in Large Resource Projects” – Perspectives of Civil Society When Ts Munkhbayar, was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize, he was interviewed by Anthropologist Bumochir Dulam. He explained a truthful reason to come to the parliament house with a … Continue reading

Posted in Bilguun Nandinbilig, CIRDI, Governance, Mining, Social Movements | Leave a comment

Guest Post: State Participation in Resources Projects

By Unurjargal U The State’s Role in Large Resource Projects The appropriate forms for state participation in mining sector – a sensitive issue in Mongolia. The Canadian International Mineral Resources and Development Institute (CIRDI) organized a cooperation conference with the … Continue reading

Posted in CIRDI, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Policy, Unurjargal Urjin | Leave a comment