– Oyu Tolgoi continues in its policy to be environmentally conscious –
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia aims to introduce the most innovative environmentally friendly technology across its operations. A recent waste management programme fulfills this goal to make a constructive effort to reduce pollution. This programme aims to find the most efficient use of any waste material, thereby preventing massive amounts of waste products, maximising the amount of waste Oyu Tolgoi recycle, and reducing pollution of the environment. Through this programme Oyu Tolgoi have identified large amounts of miscellaneous waste and other leftovers that can now be processed in a more eco-friendly way.
Last year, 80 scrap metal pipes and waste wood pieces were loaded in a total of 684 trucks to be given out and reused within the local South Gobi community. This is in comparison to the 1,300 tonnes of scrap metal that were supplied to Oyu Tolgoi’s metallurgical processing plant. As a part of this programme Oyu Tolgoi contracted with the processing plants of plastic bottles and bags to donate their waste products on an ongoing basis. Reintroducing these former waste products into the local economic cycle in a usable form results in the increased income of Mongolian citizens, the prevention of large amounts of waste deposits, thereby having a positive impact on maintaining the future health of Mongolians as well as our natural environment.
At the core of this waste management programme is garbage separation, where Oyu Tolgoi employees place waste products in a number of different waste containers at the mine site. The programme is supported by waste management training delivered to Oyu Tolgoi on-site employees, of which nearly 10,000 people attended this training last year alone.
In order to raise awareness of the importance of recycling waste products, last February Oyu Tolgoi organised a design competition themed 'Waste is a resource'. Over 50 designs were received, demonstrating that a consciousness of waste and recycling can make a difference in reducing the environmental impacts from a mine site, and positively impact the health of Oyu Tolgoi employees.
About Oyu Tolgoi LLC (http://en.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 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.
For more information, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.