Engaging local communities to help reduce the impacts of mining
Photo: Photographer Unknown
Mongolia’s Mineral Resources
Mongolia remains one of the most environmentally pristine countries in Asia, if not the world. It has vast expanses of grassland steppe with meandering rivers and fluctuating lakes. For centuries, nomadic Mongolians have lived in close harmony with nature, and Mongolian history and literature express the great respect and value that its people have historically placed on the natural environment. Mongolia’s rivers, lakes, and pristine natural environment are now facing severe threat as the country undergoes unprecedented economic development.
Mongolia is rich in untapped minerals including copper, uranium, and gold. With much of its population living below the poverty line, Mongolia, like most countries in the world, has taken the opportunity to capitalize on its mineral resources in order to improve the country’s economic prosperity.
It is only in the last decade that mining has been undertaken at any large scale in Mongolia, following the launch of the ‘Gold’ program by the Mongolian Government in 1993. Since this time there has been rapid growth in the number of new mining operations, and the industry is now set to be broadened as exploration for uranium deposits commences in the north east of Mongolia.
