Hong Kong, January 18, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned a B3 rating to Mongolian Mortgage Corporation HFC LLC's (MIK) proposed USD-denominated senior unsecured debt. The final amounts and terms of the debt will depend on market conditions and on the result of a cash tender offer.

The proposed senior unsecured debt is guaranteed by MIK's parent company, MIK Holding JSC.

The proceeds will be used to finance MIK's cash tender offer to repurchase its outstanding senior unsecured debt maturing in January 2022, to repay any remaining outstanding debt and for general corporate purposes.

The rating on the securities is subject to the receipt of final documentation, the terms and conditions of which are not expected to change in any material way from the draft documents that Moody's has reviewed. Should issuance conditions and/or final documentation deviate from the original ones submitted and reviewed by the rating agency, Moody's will assess the impact that these differences may have on the ratings and act accordingly.

The entity-level outlook on MIK remains negative.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The B3 rating is in line with MIK's long-term foreign currency issuer rating, as the senior unsecured bonds will constitute a direct, general, unsubordinated, unconditional and unsecured obligation of the issuer. The bonds will be redeemable at principal on maturity.

On 14 January, in addition to issuance of the new senior unsecured debt, MIK also announced a tender offer on its $300 million 9.75% senior unsecured notes maturing in January 2022 at 102% of the debt's principal, in addition to accrued interest.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING

WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING UP

Given that MIK's B3 ratings are the same as Mongolia's sovereign issuer rating, an upgrade of the company's ratings is unlikely. Moody's could change the outlook on MIK to stable from negative if (1) the outlook on the sovereign rating is changed to stable from negative, (2) the banking system's operating environment remains broadly stable, and (3) the company maintains sound financial metrics.

WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING DOWN

Moody's could downgrade MIK's ratings if (1) its standalone assessment is lowered, (2) the risks in Mongolia's banking system rise materially, and/or (3) the sovereign rating is downgraded. Moody's could lower MIK's standalone assessment if (1) the company's liquidity profile relative to its foreign currency debt servicing weakens substantially, and/or (2) the asset quality of Mongolia's mortgage loans deteriorate materially.

The principal methodology used in this rating was Finance Companies Methodology published in November 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx.... Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

Mongolian Mortgage Corporation HFC LLC (MIK) is a wholly owned subsidiary of MIK Holding JSC, which is headquartered in Ulaanbaatar. MIK Holding JSC's consolidated assets totaled MNT4.18 trillion ($1.5 billion) as of 31 December 2019.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx....

For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.

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The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.

The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed by Moody's Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5FA under the law applicable to credit rating agencies in the UK. Further information on the UK endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.

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The first name below is the lead rating analyst for this Credit Rating and the last name below is the person primarily responsible for approving this Credit Rating.

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Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. In partnership with the World Vision, European Union launched an 18-month, €1,000,000 project to contribute to limiting the spread of COVID-19 and reduce its negative impact on the vulnerable population in Mongolia, particularly mothers, children, and people under medical observation.

The European Union funded “Recovering Together” project, implemented by World Vision, will contribute to limiting the spread of COVID-19 and reduce its protection, livelihood, health and nutrition impact on among vulnerable population the target areas namely Sukhbaatar, Bayanzurkh and Songinokhairkhan districts of Ulaanbaatar city, and Uvurkhangai, Bayan-Ulgii provinces.

During the project inception virtual event Mr. Marco Ferri, Minister Counsellor, Deputy Head of Mission, Delegation of the European Union to Mongolia stated “This project is timely in these difficult times, when Covid-19 is widespread in Mongolia. It aims to reach out to the most vulnerable population by contributing to the improvement of the health system during the pandemic and supporting the livelihoods of vulnerable people”.

Mrs. Anja Gold, East Asian Regional Project Manager of World Vision Germany, said “The Covid-19 crisis requires more than ever our commitment to the vulnerable population especially children of this country. The protection of children is of particular importance, as they suffer the most from the crisis. Moreover, hospital equipment beds are also to be provided within this project”.

Under the project framework, World Vision Mongolia represented by National Director Mrs. Bolortsetseg.B signed Collaboration Agreements with the Governors of project target areas. During the MOU signing ceremony, she said “Many studies show that 2020 global widespread Covid pandemic is particularly affecting the livelihoods of vulnerable households, local businesses and the economy. I would like to thank the European Union for providing a realistic assessment of the current situation and for funding the project to reduce the negative impacts of the pandemic on these people.””

This project will indirectly benefit the target area´s population of 1.06 million through its focus on strengthening civil society organizations´ organizational and technical capacity, which is expected to support the role of civil society in realizing national development objectives.

The grant project “Recovering Together” funded by the European Union will support vulnerable households, impacted by Covid-19 through livelihood recovery assistance and increase their access to nutrition, health and WASH services to meet basic and urgent needs. Furthermore, the project will strengthen the healthcare system by ensuring health facilities are equipped with Covid-19 response and prevention equipment.

Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia recorded nine new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, bringing the national tally to 1,526, the country's National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) said Monday.

"A total of 9,115 tests for COVID-19 were conducted across Mongolia yesterday and nine of them were positive," said Amarjargal Ambaselmaa, head of the center's Surveillance Department, at a press conference.

As of Monday, 967 patients have recovered, including the 20 recoveries reported in the same period, said Ambaselmaa.

The Asian land-locked country, with a population of 3.3 million, has so far recorded two COVID-19 deaths since it confirmed the first case in March 2020. Enditem

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration notified Huawei suppliers, including chipmaker Intel, that it is revoking certain licenses to sell to the Chinese company and intends to reject dozens of other applications to supply the telecommunications firm, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The action - likely the last against Huawei Technologies under Republican President Donald Trump - is the latest in a long-running effort to weaken the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker, which Washington sees as a national security threat.

The notices came amid a flurry of U.S. efforts against China in the final days of Trump’s administration. Democrat Joe Biden will take the oath of office as president on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Intel Corp declined to comment. Commerce said it could not comment on specific licensing decisions, but said the department continues to work with other agencies to “consistently” apply licensing policies in a way that “protects U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.”

In an email seen by Reuters documenting the actions, the Semiconductor Industry Association said on Friday the Commerce Department had issued “intents to deny a significant number of license requests for exports to Huawei and a revocation of at least one previously issued license.” Sources familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there was more than one revocation. One of the sources said eight licenses were yanked from four companies.

Japanese flash memory chip maker Kioxia Corp had at least one license revoked, two of the sources said. The company, formerly known as Toshiba Memory Corp, said it does not “disclose business details regarding specific products or customers.”

The semiconductor association’s email said the actions spanned a “broad range” of products in the semiconductor industry and asked companies whether they had received notices.

The email noted that companies had been waiting “many months” for licensing decisions, and with less than a week left in the administration, dealing with the denials was a challenge.

A spokesman for the semiconductor group did not respond to a request for comment.

Companies that received the “intent to deny” notices have 20 days to respond, and the Commerce Department has 45 days to advise them of any change in a decision or it becomes final. Companies would then have another 45 days to appeal.

The United States put Huawei on a Commerce Department “entity list” in May 2019, restricting suppliers from selling U.S. goods and technology to it.

But some sales were allowed and others denied while the United States intensified its crackdown on the company, in part by expanding U.S. authority to require licenses for sales of semiconductors made abroad with American technology.

Before the latest action, some 150 licenses were pending for $120 billion worth of goods and technology, which had been held up because various U.S. agencies could not agree on whether they should be granted, a person familiar with the matter said.

Another $280 billion of license applications for goods and technology for Huawei still have not been processed, the source said, but now are more likely to be denied.

An August rule said that products with 5G capabilities were likely to be rejected, but sales of less sophisticated technology would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

The United States made the latest decisions during a half dozen meetings starting on Jan. 4 with senior officials from the departments of Commerce, State, Defense and Energy, the source said. The officials developed detailed guidance with regard to which technologies were capable of 5G, and then applied that standard, the person added.

That meant issuing denials for the vast majority of the roughly 150 disputed applications, and revoking the eight licenses to make those consistent with the latest denials, the source said.

The U.S. action came after pressure from a recent Trump appointee in the Commerce Department, Corey Stewart, who wanted to push through hardline China policies after being hired for a two-month stint in the agency at the end of the administration.

Trump has targeted Huawei in other ways. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer, was arrested in Canada in December 2018, on a U.S. warrant. Meng, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, and the company itself were indicted for misleading banks about its business in Iran.

Meng has said she is innocent. Huawei has denied the claims of spying and pleaded not guilty to the indictment, which also includes charges of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran and conspiring to steal trade secrets from American technology companies.

Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Alexandra Alper; editing by Chris Sanders, Jonathan Oatis and Lincoln Feast.

A case relating to former MP J.Erdenebatand five others has returned to prosecution under a decision from the Mongolian High Court. As a result, the judge decided to suspend 6.6 years of the the politician’s prison sentence. However, J.Erdenebatremains in detention.

On July, a Mongolian court sentenced former Prime Minister J.Erdenebat to six years in prison for abuse of power and banned him from holding government office for six years.

J.Erdenebat from the Mongolian People’s Party won a seat in the State Great Khuralfor a constituency in the Selenge Province in the parliamentary election, which took place on 24 June 2020, while he was still in detention. Subsequently, a bi-election will be held in Selenge to elect a new MP. Former PM J.Erdenebat’s case returned to prosecution

Mongolia reported five new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking its nationwide tally to 1,517, the country's National Center for Communicable Diseases said Sunday.

The latest confirmed cases were locally transmitted or detected in the country's capital city Ulan Bator, the center said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 38 more patients have recovered from the disease, raising the total to 947, it added.

The Asian country, with a population of 3.3 million, has so far recorded two COVID-19 deaths since its first case of COVID-19 confirmed in March 2020. Enditem

The import and export goods volume via Erenhot, the largest land port on the China-Mongolia border, rose 13.5 percent from the previous year to more than 17 million tonnes in 2020, according to the port’s customs.

In 2020, around 14.7 million tonnes of goods were imported via the port, up 11.9 percent in volume, while exports weighing about 2.44 million tonnes increased by 24.3 percent compared with the same period in 2019.

Erenhot Port, an important channel for international cargo in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, has 43 China-Europe freight train routes passing through it.

Outbound trains from Erenhot can reach countries including Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany. The imported and exported goods carried by freight trains through Erenhot include timber, auto parts, textile products and more.

The next three to six months will be crucial to the future of the vast Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, as the companies behind the operation engage in talks to find a way to improve the government’s financial benefits from an ongoing underground expansion.

Based on a definitive estimate for the development of the new mine level, announced by Rio Tinto (ASX, LON, NYSE: RIO) last month, the underground section of Oyu Tolgoi will begin production in October 2022. The project will cost $6.75 billion, about $1.4 billion higher than its original estimate, as established in the 2015 agreement.

That deal is commonly known in Mongolia as the “Dubai agreement”, because the nation’s then Prime Minister Chimediin Saikhanbileg struck it with former Rio Tinto’s boss Jean-Sebastien Jacques in a Dubai hotel, ending an impasse that had lasted close to three years.

Ulaanbaatar is not happy with the updated figures. Earlier this week, the capital announced that it would ask Rio Tinto and its majority-owned Turquoise Hill (TSX, NYSE: TRQ) to revisit the economic benefits that the expansion will bring to the state’s coffers.

“The government of Mongolia supports the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine development, which is viewed as holding benefits to the Mongolian economy because 80% of Oyu Tolgoi’s value lies beneath the surface,” Solongoo Bayarsaikhan, Mongolia’s Deputy Chief at Cabinet Secretariat said on Thursday.

“It is calculated that Mongolia will not receive dividend payments until 2051 and will incur debts of $22 billion. In addition, Oyu Tolgoi is estimated to pay profit taxes or corporate income taxes only in four years until 2051,” she noted.

In Bayarsaikhan’s view, the government of Mongolia may never receive a dividend from Oyu Tolgoi, in which the country has a 34% interest because the billions of dollars in loans taken on to develop the existing open-pit mine and the underground expansion have to be repaid before the state receives a dividend.

Both Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill have said they are ready to engage with local authorities, with analysts warning the looming renegotiations could cause further delays to the already deferred project.

Oyu Tolgoi’s expansion cost blowout to hit up to $1.8 billion

The copper-gold mine is located in the South Gobi region of Mongolia, about 550 km south of the capital Ulaanbaatar. (Source: Rio Tinto.)

“Any delays in obtaining approvals beyond the first half of 2021 may result in further value erosion of the project, which we expect to ramp up in October 2022,” Morgan Stanley analyst Alain Gabriel wrote this week. “A potential renegotiation of the mining agreement could result in some value leakage as the government seeks to accelerate its access to cash flows.”

BMO Jackie Przybylowski said the government’s claims highlight its legitimate concerns over the distribution of cash flows from the mine.

“Although we don’t model any change to the structure of the investment agreement, we do believe that a change is possible, which would improve the structure for all sides,” she wrote, adding that BMO did not anticipate a disruption to production or ownership.

Preferred outcome

The best scenario for everyone involved in the mine development, which will make Oyu Tolgoi the world’s fourth-largest copper operation once completed, is uncertain.

The Mongolian Parliamentary Working Group, formed in 2019, recommended exploring possibilities for a production sharing agreement and/or replacement of the equity interest with a special royalty.

Rio and Turquoise Hill are focused on bringing the underground expansion into production. But the road ahead could be rough as there are many issues to hash out.

The two companies are at odds over roles and obligations in securing the remaining funding. An arbitration tribunal is expected to settle the matter in the coming months.

The miners also need to extend an existing power agreement beyond March. The operation is powered by coal-fired electricity imported from neighbouring China via overhead cables.

Then there is a potential restructuring of Oyu Tolgoi’s management team, as well as the need to ratify a 2019 statement of resources and reserves and a feasibility study prepared in 2020.

All these topics need to be addressed before Rio Tinto makes a major mining decision — an undercut — in May.

The technique is part of an extraction method known as block caving. It involves creating an artificial cavern below the ore body, allowing it to progressively collapse under its own weight.

Suspension out of question

All the parties involved seem sure that the project won’t be halted, though they acknowledge that further delays are possible. Oyu Tolgoi is a crucial part of Mongolia’s economy. Not only it is the country’s biggest source of foreign direct investment, it also provides thousands of well-paid jobs. Close to 94% of the workforce are Mongolian nationals.

The current negotiation environment is more favourable than in 2013, when Rio considered halting construction of the open pit mine due to Mongolian authorities demanding a greater share of profit from the mine.

The special committee looking into the cost overrun and delays is comprised of four members: two members nominated by Turquoise Hill and two members nominated by Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi (the government) with extensive financial and economic background.

There is also a presidential election coming up in June, with the two biggest parties the left-wing Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) and the centre-right Democratic Party (DP) said to be in favour of keeping Oyu Tolgoi going.

Former Prime Minister Batbold Sukhbaatar remains the senior member of the ruling People’s Party and is one of the party’s likely 2021 presidential candidates.

Though not part of the negotiation team, Batbold was Foreign Minister when Rio Tinto struck the deal to develop Oyu Tolgoi, a mine that became the symbol of the new, open-for-business, Mongolia.

Current President Khaltmaagiin Battulga seems to align better with those who question the presence of foreign investors, including Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto.

Opponents believe the mine and its copper belong to Mongolia and that the western companies involved are exploiting the country’s natural resources without giving enough back.

Anti-foreigners

Battulga has recently also brought back a previously rejected draft law requiring international investors to use Mongolian banks.

Analysts believe the move would scare foreign investors and they see it as a tactic to loosen Rio and Turquoise Hill’s grip on the giant mine.

They also worry Battulga could be paving the way for Russia or China to get involved in Oyu Tolgoi.

He is a known admirer of Vladimir Putin, speaks Russian fluently and has a Russian partner — Angelique Davain.

Rio Tinto has repeatedly said the underground expansion is its most important growth project. Once completed, Oyu Tolgoi will churn out 480,000 tonnes of copper a year from 2028 to 2036.

It is understood that the miner has offered to cut the fee it charges Mongolia for managing the development of Oyu Tolgoi and has already reduced the interest rate on loans provided for the project.

China is considering accepting some stranded Australian coal cargoes, an effort that would help ease a logjam of vessels that have stacked up off its coast for months.

The shipments that could be cleared are those that arrived before a ban on Australian coal went into effect, said a person familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified as the discussions are private.

Deliberations are at an initial stage and any decision would need the approval of more senior Chinese leaders, the person said. The broader prohibition on Australian coal remains in place, and ideally, the cargoes would be resold to buyers in other countries, the person said.

China’s customs administration didn’t immediately respond to a fax seeking comment.

The opaque nature of the Australian ban, which has never been publicly acknowledged by Beijing, makes pinpointing its start date difficult. The government was rumored to have ordered its five biggest utilities to halt Australian purchases as early as May, while in October, power stations and steel mills were told to stop using Australian coal.

November halt

In November, Beijing ordered traders to halt purchases of a raft of the country’s commodities, including coal. Relations between the two trading partners have deteriorated since Huawei Technologies Co. was barred from building Australia’s 5G network in 2018.

China has strengthened its safety and environmental protection checks on coal imports from Australia to defend the interests of Chinese companies, consumers and the environment, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said when asked about the status of the stranded cargoes during a press briefing in Beijing on Friday. But he added that the measures weren’t aimed at any specific country or product.

Most of the stranded coal is the type used to make steel, while a smaller portion is used for power generation, according to data intelligence firm Kpler. About 70 ships are waiting to discharge according to shipping data compiled by Bloomberg.

Some shipowners and charterers are pushing for the cargo owners to allow them to divert to foreign ports to relieve an estimated 1,400 mariners who remain trapped on the ships. Humanitarian concerns have deepened as the standoff lengthens: a seafarer on the Anastasia stranded off China’s coast attempted suicide, Seatrade Maritime News reported Jan. 6.

The Jag Anand vessel, which arrived to China in June, is en route to Japan to relieve its crew, according to Cargill Inc., which is the vessel’s original charterer. Some of the seafarers on the vessel have been working about 20 months without a break, according to the National Union of Seafarers of India.

China has had to contend with record prices for both types of coal this winter. The worst winter freeze in decades has driven heating demand to an all-time high, and thrown the country’s energy markets into tumult. At the same time, China’s steel mills are churning out record quantities to feed a state-funded infrastructure boom to rescue the economy after the ravages of the pandemic.

Coking coal for May on the Dalian Commodity Exchange pared gains to close up 3.7%, after earlier rising as much as 6%.

China’s coal imports from all countries surged to record levels in December, lifting the annual total for coal above 300 million tons to its highest since 2013. In past years, Australia has been the country’s second-biggest supplier after Indonesia.

China’s authorities are also surveying the stranded carriers to identify shipowners, crew nationalities, and end users of the coal, the person said.

(By Aaron Clark, with assistance from Kevin Varley, Alfred Cang, Winnie Zhu, Dan Murtaugh, Colum Murphy and Stephen Stapczynski)

Rio Tinto and the Quebec government have announced the development of the first scandium oxide plant in North America. The commercial-scale demonstration plant, which is already under construction, will cost about $6 million and has the capacity to produce 3 tonnes per year.

Considering the current size of the market, estimated at around 20 tonnes per year, the production will be significant for Rio Tinto and Quebec.

“With the first production unit, Rio Tinto will become the leading producer of high-purity scandium oxide in North America,” said Stephane Leblanc, Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium’s managing director, in a virtual press conference on Thursday.

The modular plant is expected to begin production by the end of June. Leblanc noted that it can be scaled up to meet demand and estimates that production could be increased to reach over 12 t/y annually.

As part of a push by Quebec to support the production of critical minerals as well as specialized refined products for the technology sector, the province will contribute a total of $850,000 to the project — $500,000 from the Ministry of Energy and Mines and $350,000 from the Ministry of Economy and Innovation. Quebec launched its $68-million Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals Development in October.

Scandium is one of 22 critical and strategic minerals identified by the province in the plan.

“The scandium oxide recovery project is an inspiring example of how our tailings can be developed, it’s a testament to our ability to seize opportunities in a growing market and it is a testament to the role that Quebec can play in the field of super alloys and (critical and strategic minerals).” said Jonatan Julien, Quebec’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources at the news conference.

There are currently two major markets for scandium oxide – to produce high-performance aluminum alloys for the aerospace, defence and 3-D printing industries, and in the production of solid oxide fuel cells. However, the uses of scandium are much wider and are growing. In an optimistic scenario, the Boston Consulting Group estimates demand could reach 650 tonnes annually by 2028.

A very low addition of 0.1 to 0.2% of scandium in aluminum increases its mechanical properties, heat and corrosion resistance, and welding properties.

Rio Tinto discovered scandium oxide in the ore at its Lac Tio open pit mine in Havre-Saint-Pierre, Que., five years ago.

After starting with lab testing in 2015 and moving to a pilot plant in 2017, the company developed a process to produce high-purity scandium oxide with a purity of over 99.99% from waste generated during the processing of titanium dioxide in 2019. Last year it produced an aluminum-scandium master alloy.

Since the scandium is extracted from waste and no additional mining is required to produce it, its production has a small environmental footprint.

(This article first appeared in our sister publication, the Canadian Mining Journal, part of Glacier Resource Innovation Group)