Mongolia exported a total of 3.8 million tons of coal in the first four months of this year, down 48 percent year on year, Mongolian Customs General Administration said on Monday.

The significant decrease is related to border restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.

Coal is Mongolia's main export commodity.

Mongolia has planned to export at least 36 million tons of coal in 2022, according to the authority.

The Asian country, which is rich in natural resources, exported 15.9 million tons of coal in 2021, down 44.3 percent year on year, according to Mongolian Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry.

38 new COVID-19 infections have been detected in Mongolia in the past 24 hours, according to the country's health statistics database.

31 of them were recorded in Ulaanbaatar, and 7 cases were detected in regions of the country.

One death linked to the coronavirus was registered in Mongolia during the day. The death toll from COVID-19 reached 2,111.

China has released a batch of datasets from the payloads installed on Chang'e-5 probe, according to the China National Space Administration on Saturday.

The payloads include a landing camera, a panoramic camera, a lunar mineralogical spectrometer and a lunar regolith penetrating radar, said the CNSA.

Public users can visit the website of China's Lunar and Planetary Data Release System (http://moon.bao.ac.cn) to obtain the datasets, the CNSA added.

The Chang'e-5 probe, comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender, and a returner, was launched on Nov 24, 2020. The return capsule landed in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Dec 17, 2020, retrieving a total of 1,731 grams of lunar samples, mainly rocks and soil from the moon's surface.

With a soft loan of USD 41 million for financing, the World Bank, the International Development Association, and the Government of Mongolia are jointly implementing the Ulaanbaatar Heating Sector Improvement Project from 2021 to 2025. Construction works to be carried out in the framework of the project kicked off at ‘Thermal Power Plant-3’ JSC on May 5.

The project’s implementation is expected to ensure the completion of the government’s mid-term program for the energy sector. More specifically, the project will create the technical capacity to have apartment complexes and facilities, that are planned to be built as part of the plans to redevelop ger district areas in the capital city, to be connected to central heating. It will also improve the stable operations of the central heating system, highlighted Minister of Energy N.Tavinbekh.

The Government of Mongolia is paying special attention to energy production, supply, and investment in strategically important sectors. As the number of Ulaanbaatar city residents continue to grow, thermal power usage has been increasing by 5-6 percent each year.

Country Manager for World Bank Andrei Mikhnev highlighted that the Ulaanbaatar Heating Sector Improvement Project aims to extend the central heating system and improve its efficiency.

Studies have found that it will become possible for about 10 thousand more households to be connected to the central heating system, and 347 MW of thermal power to be saved once the project is completed.

Furthermore, the efficiency of heat supply is expected to be improved as the capacity of pipelines will be increased by 1.5 times, and water loss within the system is reduced by 1.2 percent through the project.

With a focus on ensuring the sustainability of the heating system, the project will also create an opportunity to eliminate the usage of small coal-fired boilers, reducing coal and carbon emissions substantially.

In the framework of the project, 12.8 km of pipelines located in six districts of the capital city will be replaced, and construction work will be carried out for the extension of three pumping stations.

Speaker of the State Great Khural G.Zandanshatar received Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Kim Young-joo on May 5.

Director of the Parliamentary Research Institute at the Secretariat of the State Great Khural Ts.Tsogzolmaa, Head of the Representative’s Office of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) Min Seong-muo, and representative of business owners in the construction, infrastructure, and public transportation sectors of South Korea were present at the meeting.

Member of the National Assembly Kim Young-joo, who previously served as the Minister of Employment and Labor of the ROK, puts special emphasis on expanding regional foreign relations and cooperation in a wide range of areas, encouraging woman’s participation and leadership in society.

Within the framework of her visit, the South Korean parliament member put forward numerous initiatives to support and cooperate with women, including the members of the Social Democracy Mongolian Women's Association, and expressed commitment to organizing joint training on the target topic.

The KOTRA representative also suggested strengthening multilateral economic cooperation and effectively implementing projects and programs to increase trade turnover and investment. Specifically, they expressed their support for the development of free economic zone by helping connect companies and entities that are interested in investing in Mongolia.

Expressing gratitude for supporting the development of relations between the two countries, and contributing to women’s empowerment in the country, Speaker G.Zandanshatar affirmed support for further strengthening the cooperation.

During the meeting, a representative of RHP Co. Ltd. gave information on construction projects that were implemented in the Korean public transportation sector, and their latest technology and solutions. Discussions were also held on the advantages and features of LRT (light rail transit) – one of the key solutions that are being considered to reduce traffic congestion in the capital city.

The sides agreed to further expand bilateral inter-parliamentary cooperation, and provide mutual support in increasing foreign trade and investment.

For the very first time, discussions have begun to take place for establishing a hydropower plant in Mongolia with the investment of private entities. The plant in question is the Chargait Hydropower Plant that is currently being planned to be built near one of the largest rivers of Mongolia - the Delgermurun River located 28 km from Tosontsengel soum, and 50 km from the centre of Khusvgul aimag.

However, the Chargait HPP project is not a completely new project that was recently launched. Corresponding studies began to be carried out in 2008, and its feasibility study was conducted by Mongolian scholars in 2012. After five years in 2017, the Energy Regulatory Commission of Mongolia issued the special permission for constructing the hydropower plant, and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism also did a general assessment for the plant. As 13 years have already passed while making contact with investors and discussing cooperation with construction companies, it became necessary to conduct a new feasibility study. Currently, the ‘Chargait Hydropower Plant’ company is working to have the project acknowledged by international financial organisations.

Delgermurun River - Tumurbulag soum, Khuvsgul aimag

With a capacity of 24.6 megawatts, the hydropower plant is expected to have a significant role in supplying energy for not only the local area, but also in the Central Energy System. By operating at only half of its full capacity, it will be able to fully supply the electricity demand in Mongolia’s most populous aimag - Khuvsgul, explained the project team.

As the country’s population continues to grow rapidly, the issue concerning the supply of energy from a reliable source is becoming that much of an important issue. Mongolia is considered as one of the countries with energy systems that are heavily reliant on coal. The energy sector produces two thirds of the greenhouse gases being produced in the country, which also has an impact on public health due to its contribution to air pollution. It is apparent that the aforementioned statistics will continue to grow if we are not able to take the correct step by finding an environmentally friendly solution. And it is for this exact reason that special attention needs to be paid to the renewable energy sector.

Currently, the country produces 80 percent of its demand for electricity, while importing the rest from its two neighbours. Over 90 percent of the domestically produced energy is made up of thermal power plants that run on coal. In contrast, energy produced by hydropower plants has yet to make up a single percent.

Alongside making its own contributions to domestic energy production, the Chargait Hydropower Plant will play a crucial role in having a positive effect on local infrastructure, increasing job opportunities, reducing greenhouse gases, and in keeping ecological balance and rehabilitation. By storing flood water partially or fully, it also reduces the potential danger of flooding and creates a more favourable weather condition for the area as the level of humidity will increase due to the reservoir.

Location of the Chargait Hydropower Plant

Aside from becoming a global trend, reducing coal-based energy production has become a part of the development policies for various countries. And it is good news that private entities have begun to make their contributions to diversifying energy production in the country. Works to attract investors to the Chargait Hydropower Plant project and select contractor companies specialised in the field are currently underway.

A part of the plan to fully supply the domestic demand for energy and eliminate the sector’s dependence will be met following the launch of the Chargait Hydropower Plant’s operations. Currently, 11 small hydropower stations are operated during warmer seasons due to weather conditions, and two medium-scale hydropower plants - Taishir Hydropower Plant and Durgun Hydropower Plant are producing energy within its capacity all-year round.

Included in the country’s plans for development, the Chargait Hydropower Plant will help balance the load of the ever-increasing electricity demand for 60 years according to currently available studies.

To reach the objective of reducing greenhouse gases by 14 percent by 2030, Mongolia is paying a fair bit of attention to replacing the current method of coal-based energy production with renewable energy. One of the top solutions for producing energy without the emission of greenhouse gases is hydropower plants. And for this exact reason, the Government of Mongolia has announced that the construction of energy production structures based on nuclear energy and hydrogen will be supported by state policy. In fact, the government will implement a comprehensive policy supporting the launch of large-scale hydropower plants and increasing the sector’s role in the economy in order to fully supply the domestic demand for energy. Each year, the country spends over MNT 400 billion on importing energy. The mining company, Oyu Tolgoi alone sources power amounting to USD 110-120 million from China.

Considering the ever-increasing energy consumption as well as its economic impact, many sources of energy production are required for Mongolia. With all thermal power plants based on raw coal, and a large percentage of households in the capital city using refined fuel for heating, it is absolutely necessary for Mongolia to diversify its energy sources. On top of the significant imbalance between the production capacity and demand for heating and electricity, the current situation with thermal power plants having to halt operations time and time again demands the establishment of new energy sources. Attracting foreign investment and fully supplying the domestic demand - the renewable energy sector also needs to have a long-term plan for exporting energy. And a part of that plan would be realised with the implementation of the Chargait Hydropower Plant project.

As of today, 20.2 million dams (72.4 percent of a total 27.9 million) have delivered offspring nationwide, with a survival rate currently at 99.1 percent.

The offspring delivery rate is at 80.9 percent in the western region, 76.1 percent in the Khangai region, 67.0 percent in the central and 69.5 percent in the eastern region, reports the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry.

Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTFT) announced Friday it has produced a first batch of high purity scandium oxide at its commercial scale demonstration plant in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. This makes RTFT the first North American producer of the critical mineral, used in solide oxide fuel cells and in aluminium alloys.

RTFT has completed commissioning activities, and is now focusing on production ramp up to bring the plant to its nameplate capacity of three tonnes of scandium oxide per year, representing approximately 20% of the global market.

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The plant uses an innovative process developed by RTFT to extract high purity scandium oxide from the waste streams of titanium dioxide production, without the need for any additional mining.

The company said it is also considering near-term expansion options to increase production capacity in line with market demand.

“We are very proud of this first production of scandium oxide. This is a key milestone in the development of a secure supply of scandium, demonstrating our ability to de-risk the global supply chain for this critical mineral,” Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium managing director Stéphane Leblanc said in a media statement.

“With this breakthrough process creating value from waste, Rio Tinto Fer et Titane’s ambition is to become a key supplier in the global scandium market,” said Leblanc. “Our employees brought this project from the drawing board to commercial demonstration in less than two years.”

Scandium oxide is used to improve the performance of solid oxide fuel cells, which are used as a power source for data centres and hospitals, as well as in niche products such as lasers and lighting for stadiums or studios. It is also used to produce high-performance aluminium-scandium alloys for the aerospace, defence and 3D printing industries.

Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade on Friday published a list of goods allowed for parallel import into the country. The mechanism, which will circumvent the Western embargo on the export of goods to Russia by importing them from third party countries, will become effective on May 6.

The list includes 56 groups of goods required for the industry and for consumers. Customs officers will have to check the TN VED codes (commodity nomenclature for foreign economic activity) and brand names with the order.

The list includes plants, pharmaceutical products, and cosmetics. It does not cover certain brands, such as Garnier, L’Oreal, Maybelline, NYX, Lancome, Valentine, Prada, and others.

Parallel imports of apparel, headgear, footwear, fabrics, and furs and leather goods have been allowed without any limitation by brands.

The list also includes certain car components and spare parts and almost all foreign car brands like GM, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, Renault, Tesla, Honda, Nissan, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, Toyota, Lexus, Suzuki, Volvo and others.

Among other items allowed for import are musical instruments, airport equipment, sound recording and TV equipment, boats, and railway locomotives.

According to the head of the ministry, Denis Manturov, the list will be adjusted once a quarter or every two months. It can either expand or narrow depending on the decisions of foreign companies to work in Russia, he said.

In March, Moscow authorized retailers to import products from abroad without the trademark owner’s permission. The decision followed global brands halting sales or stopping exports to Russia due to pressure from their governments to comply with sanctions.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin then clarified that “parallel imports” were needed to ensure that certain goods could continue to be shipped to Russia.

Steppe Gold Limited (TSX: STGO) (OTCQX: STPGF) continues its ramp up of production in Mongolia following the recent restart in March with gold production in two pours in April totalling approximately 3,350 oz (March 2022, 1,532 oz).

Reagent shipments continued uninterrupted in April and the process of restocking the reagent storage facility is ongoing.

Mining and stacking activities are on plan for the month with Cell 4 stacking nearly complete. The final cell, #5, of the first lift, will be complete by late summer, after which stacking of the second lift will commence. The new crushing unit will be operational in the summer, allowing acceleration of stacking activities.

President and CEO of Steppe Gold, Bataa Tumur-Ochir, said mining activities continued at planned rates with hauling of high-grade blast material at ATO 1 and ATO 4.

He also confirmed recent site visits by qualified persons and consultants as optimisation work on the Phase 2 Expansion continues, to include further drill work and modelling of mining scenarios.

“We are very pleased to report continued ramp up of production at the ATO Gold Mine. All activities at site are running well and we look forward to a successful year of gold and silver production, and regular updates on our very exciting Phase 2 Expansion,” Bataa Tumur-Ochir commented.

The Steppe Gold team recently celebrated the fourth anniversary of our IPO on the TSX. In aspecial message, our CEO, Bataa Tumur-Ochir, congratulated the Steppe team and expressed sincere gratitude to the company’s partners and shareholders for their support. For further information please visit: https://steppegold.com/