– Mongolian business community identifies Oyu Tolgoi LLC as the best ecological enterprise –
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – Today the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), awarded the 'Greenpreneur 2012' prize to Oyu Tolgoi LLC, recognising its special contribution and commitment to environmental sustainability. The honorary award of MNCCI is presented to enterprises making a significant contribution to rehabilitation, re-forestation and waste management.
Oyu Tolgoi LLC President and CEO, Cameron McRae, stated: “Our ecological concept is instilled in every part of the company. Oyu Tolgoi is implementing an ecological sustainability programme and we are very pleased to be awarded. From the very beginning of its operation Oyu Tolgoi has been committed to leaving a pure, positive legacy to the biodiversity of the Umnugobi.”
Discussions and consultancy on the biodiversity
To minimise the detrimental impact of the mining operations, define and develop the best modern offsetting methods, we work closely with the biodiversity experts at Flora and Fauna International and WWF.
Ecological monitoring
For land conservation and rehabilitation, Oyu Tolgoi LLC has implemented an ecological monitoring programme based on the participatory method. The programme is aimed at spotting and informing any potential changes in the local environment and is an outcome of the cooperation between Oyu Tolgoi LLC, local soum leadership, Mongolian Pastureland Management Association NGO, Khanbogd Altan Nutag NGO (local pasture user group) and local herders.
Reforestation and rehabilitation in Umnugobi
Oyu Tolgoi have implemented the following programmes and initiatives for the reforestation and rehabilitation of Umnugobi:
- Establishing a plant nursery farm in Khanbogd soum. An area of 5ha with semi-automatic operation, a double-layer covered greenhouse, heated in the winter season.
- Culivating 2,000 saxaul trees in Umnugobi.
- Collecting 11 tonnes of seeds of local native plants for the ‘Local Plant Seeds’ programme aimed at using local native seeds for land rehabilitation after the completion of mining operations.
- Rehabilitating 3ha land around the Oyu Tolgoi airport in 2011.
Protection of wildlife
Oyu Tolgoi have implemented the following activities to protect wildlife in Umnugobi:
- Building underpass tunnels for wildlife and domestic animals.
- Working closely with the local stakeholders to control illegal poaching.
- Installing bird diverters in all overhead power transmission lines.
About Oyu Tolgoi LLC (http://ot.mn/en)
Oyu Tolgoi LLC is Mongolia's largest copper and gold mining company and is a strategic partnership between the Government of Mongolia (34 per cent stake), Turquoise Hill Resources (66 per cent) and Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto is the major shareholder in Turquoise Hill Resources and the manager of the Oyu Tolgoi project. In addition to dividends from its 34 per cent stake in Oyu Tolgoi, the Government of Mongolia will receive taxes and royalties.
Oyu Tolgoi, located in the Gobi desert in southern Mongolia, will be one of the largest and highest-grade copper and gold mines in the world. It is the largest project ever developed in Mongolia, requiring a capital investment for phase 1 of more than US$6 billion.
Oyu Tolgoi is committed to contributing to a sustainable future for Mongolia. At least 9 out of 10 employees will be Mongolian once the mine is in production and Oyu Tolgoi is investing US$58 million dollars (78 billion MNT) in training and education and an additional US$27 million dollars (36 billion MNT) in the Workforce Employment Project designed to help address the general skills shortage in Mongolia
Oyu Tolgoi's key priorities are the health and safety of employees, best-practice environmental management, contributing to sustainable communities and always doing business with integrity, for the benefit of all the project's shareholders and the people of Mongolia.
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