Oyu Tolgoi wins “Best Responsible Mine” award

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – Oyu Tolgoi was last week named as the Best Responsible Mine at the fifth annual Mongolian Mining Journal Awards.

The award recognises how Oyu Tolgoi made the transition from construction to full capacity operations in a responsible way – placing safety above all else, maximising long-term benefit for all stakeholders, and protecting the environment.

Speaking about the recognition, Andrew Woodley, President and CEO of Oyu Tolgoi said: “Operating Oyu Tolgoi safely and responsibly is at the heart of everything that we do. It is testament to the work of the entire team that this has been observed and acknowledged. This approach not only delivers a globally competitive business generating value for our stakeholders today, but we will also leave a lasting legacy for future generations.”

As part of the transition from construction to steady state operations, over the last two years Oyu Tolgoi established, and gained certification for, a number of international standard health, safety and environmental management systems.

Launched in 2011, the Mongolian Mining Journal Awards celebrate the development of the Mongolian mining sector, with a particular focus on promoting technology, environmental management and sustainability across the industry. Last year, Oyu Tolgoi was awarded the Best Green Mine award for its use of technology and commitment to protecting the environment of the South Gobi.

In her opening speech at the ceremony, held at Blue Sky Tower, L. Bolormaa, Editor of the Mongolian Mining Journal said: “These awards are dedicated to all the people who create things in our industry. 2014 has been a great year of achievements and successes. All of the nominated companies are not just talking about the economic crisis, but tackling it.”

This year’s awards recognised achievements of Mongolian mining companies in five categories: Best Mine, Best Technology, Best Green Mine, Sustainable Operations, and Best Responsible Mine.