Interview: G.Munkhbayar “Information Centre – a bridge between the public and Oyu Tolgoi”

– Oyu Tolgoi mining information centre is the first of its kind in Mongolia –

We interviewed G.Munkhbayar, officer of the Oyu Tolgoi Information Centre. Munkhbayar introduced the centre and shared the latest information from the centre.

Mongolians are receiving information about Oyu Tolgoi from many sources. What was the objective of setting up the centre? What are the current activities of the centre?
The Oyu Tolgoi mining information centre is the first and only mining information centre in Mongolia. The initiative to establish the information centre was based on three factors:

1. The Oyu Tolgoi principle of transparency and openness.
2. Our responsible mining initiative.
3. Corporate responsibility.

Mining has become a dominant sector in our country and its significance is increasing. It is crucial for mining companies to be responsible, open and transparent. Oyu Tolgoi is making significant investments in education, training, the natural environment, cultural heritage and infrastructure. Our information centre provides information about how these social investments are benefitting Mongolian people. The objective of our information centre is to provide the general public with information about the mining sector and accurate, factual information about Oyu Tolgoi, the world class copper and gold mining project.

How is this objective being implemented?
Our information centre is open to the public six days a week. We welcome any visitors to our centre and answer their questions. We organise meetings, workshops, official introductions, presentations and open-day events targeting certain groups. We also organise various contests and competitions.

Are many people visiting the centre?
We opened our information centre in Ulaanbaatar in January 2012. Since then, we have had over 10,000 visitors to our centre. Oyu Tolgoi is a very important project for the economy of our country and remains in the focus of the public. Therefore, people are always visiting our centre.

Do you have information centres in rural areas?
We opened our information centre in Dalanzadgad, capital of the South Gobi province, on 20 April 2012. The South Gobi province is home to the Oyu Tolgoi project, therefore, the centre is committed to providing accurate and timely information for the local community. During the last year the center served 1,500 people representing about 100 organisations and 360 individual citizens.

You said the mining information centre is the first in Mongolia. What can new-comers learn by visiting the centre?
Have you heard about the latest local airport in Mongolia, which was selected as the best Regional Construction last year?

No, I have not.
We have been disseminating detailed information about the Khanbumbat airport in the South Gobi region for the last month. It is difficult for UB residents to go and see this airport so we are displaying a model of the airport at our information centre. We welcome our guests with comprehensive information about the centre, photo exhibits of the airport, information and data on the airport and interviews with representatives of the national companies who built the airport. Oyu Tolgoi is a very large project so there is a lot to talk about and share. We aim to disseminate information in creative ways by organising exhibitions on specific topics each month. We have many displays and exhibition materials for the public to give them general information about how gold and copper is mined and how these minerals are used in every day life. Our visitors will gain new and fresh information each time they come to visit us.

We saw photo albums on the Oyu Tolgoi Facebook page about meetings with students. Do you work with interested groups and individuals?
Yes. We work with many organisations. We organise meetings in cooperation with the Mongolian students’ association. For example, if students majoring in mining are interested, we invite experts from the concentrator department of our company to attend information meetings and discussions with the students. We also organise meetings on work safety and occupational disease prevention with medical students. We had a meeting with law students on the Oyu Tolgoi agreement provision and clauses. In addition to that we work with many non-governmental organisations working in mining, the natural environment and economics sectors.

I would like to invite students to take part in our essay contests, we are targeting graduating secondary school students and students of vocational training centres. The first essay topic is 'Who knows Oyu Tolgoi better?' The second topic is 'Oyu Tolgoi and local development'. Please visit or contact our information centre for further information about the contest. The contests are part of the one-year anniversary celebrations for our information centre in Dalanzadgad, in April. Winners of these contests will visit the Oyu Tolgoi site and see the largest Mongolian development work of the century.

How do I obtain detailed information about these contests and the information centre?

Oyu Tolgoi Information Center – Ulaanbaatar
Situated to the right of the School of Economic Studies at the National University of Mongolia
Opening Hours 9.00am – 6.00pm, Monday – Saturday.
Phone: 353366
Email: OTInfoCenter@ot.mn.

Oyu Tolgoi Information Center – Dalanzadgad soum
2nd floor of the Oyu Tolgoi company branch office in Dalanzadgad.
Phone: 70533941
Email: OTInfoCenter@ot.mn