Oyu Tolgoi emphasises on mine reclamation from an earlier stage

-Local community to be involved with tree nursery work –

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (ot.mn)- Environment, climate and vegetation in Hanbogd soum is distinct from the grassy steppe and mountain regions making the reclamation of mined land specific from reclamation in grassland and the mountain region. Re-vegetation of the mined land in the mountain region, rich in vegetation, trees, rivers and streams and reclamation of the arid Gobi desert is as different as night and day.

Biological re-vegetation is a process that lasts from inception of the project development phase all the way through extraction to mine closure. In order to successfully complete re-vegetation of the mined area, Oyu Tolgoi LLC has been conducting researches and experiments since 2003. As part of this effort, vegetative topsoil removed at construction and operational phase will be continuously stock-piled, to be later used for re-vegetation. Moreover, Oyu Tolgoi conducted a detailed baseline study in Hanbogd soum with a focus on its plant population and peculiarities in order to use plants adaptive to Gobi region for reclamation.

S.Dorjderem, Senior Researcher in Oyu Tolgoi’s Environmental Department says, “I am delighted to be working at Oyu Tolgoi as this company strives to introduce international best practices in reclamation with minimal impacts on environment in Mongolia. Our department is currently conducting plant monitoring in 37 fields and we established a tree nursery on 5 hectares of land in the Hanbogd soum centre in 2011. The tree nursery is a laboratory where not only brakes will be planted, but the perennial and rare plantations to be breed for the purpose of further research into reclamation. Within the framework of this effort, Oyu Tolgoi has provided jobs with to three local citizens as well as the purchase of necessary equipment.”

About Oyu Tolgoi LLC (www.ot.mn)

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), Ivanhoe Mines (66 per cent) and Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto is the major shareholder in Ivanhoe Mines and the manager of Oyu Tolgoi. 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 one 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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