Mining

Even though mining sector is a major source of employment, foreign exchange and large percentage of GDP of Mongolia, mining has initiated numerous environmental and social impacts in Mongolian watersheds. These impacts include large increases in sedimentation, nutrient loading, and alteration of river hydrology through the creation of diversions and impoundments. These impacts degrade water quality and can impede migration and spawning of fishes such as the taimen. Moreover, most mines are left unreclaimed resulting in long-term damage to watersheds which impact natural resources that local people rely on. Concentrations of these miners have led to documented declines in the environment, human health, infrastructure, law and order, gender, child labor, education, and human rights. For example, illegal gold miners are using mercury to extract gold. Mercury is an illegal substance banned by the Mongolian government due to the health impacts. Moreover, illegal mining communities are developing and producing an unsustainable use of natural resources due the increase in logging and over grazing by cattle.

Thus, mining within Mongolia is having significant impacts to the environment and encouraging social breakdowns within the nomadic communities. During initial project design, mining was originally considered an immediate threat to the implementation of this program. There has been an increase in both exploration and extraction mining activity within the watershed. As of the beginning of the summer 2004, at least 76 gold exploration licenses were issued mostly in the Khovsgol aimag. One extraction license for hard rock gold mining had been issued in Teshig soum of the Bulgan aimag on the Tavt River . Different minerals have been found in the EUWA such as phosphorite, gold sulfide pyrite, and copper. Furthermore, the science and enforcement teams have observed mining companies taking cores during the summer of 2004 and 2005 next to the Uur River between Teshig soum and the Eg-Uur confluence.

Based on previous information of mining impacts to the environment and social systems, we have created the Mining Strategy to address mining in the EUWA.

The goal of this Strategy is to prevent or mitigate negative impacts of mining in EUWA. In order to achieve this goal, the plan focuses on creating an outreach program to explain the impact of current mining practices and their potential impacts in the EUWA; developing a partnership and collaborating within the NGO community of Mongolia to aid in lobbying efforts for Mongolia policy change; conducting a baseline science study to document changes resulting from mining; and exploring legal strategies for preventing mining in the EUWA.