Abstract
Mining is one of the two major industrial sectors in Mongolia, accounting for approximately 30% of the GDP and more than 70% of total export value. In recent years, production of underground resources such as gold, coal, copper, and molybdenum has been increasing. The other major sector is nomadic animal husbandry, which accounts for about 20% of GDP. These two sectors play leading roles in the nation’s trade and economy. However, despite the significance of both activities, conflicts have frequently occurred between the two sectors over access to pastureland and water resources, because in Mongolia surface mining is generally carried out to extract mineral resources from underneath the pasturelands. Furthermore, mining has caused environmental problems, especially in watershed areas, that have devastated rivers and decreased water resources. In this chapter, I report on the current situation regarding these conflicts, considering the legal systems in place and steps that might be taken in future to mitigate the conflicts.
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Notes
- 1.
Informal micro-scale miners are called “Ninjas” in Mongolia because of the basins they wear on their backs, thought to make them look like characters in the American cartoon, “Ninja Turtles.” They use the basins for gravity separation to extract placer gold from sand and gravel in water.
- 2.
Looking at the number of major five livestock species in Mongolia, the number of goat, sheep, cattle, horses, and camels has increased from about 24 million in 2002 to 43 million in 2008. However, the weight accounting for the Mongolian economy has been shrinking.
- 3.
According to the provisions of Article 19 of the Mineral Law of Mongolia, the mining authority is required to obtain the approval of the Sum and Aimag assemblies before issuing an exploration license to a company. The Aimag governor should provide a response within 30 days of receiving the license application. According to interviews at several Sums, however, circumstances often make it difficult to provide this confirmation, with documentation sometimes not arriving at the Sum until just a day or two before the deadline. Mining licenses, meanwhile, are not governed by any legal procedures similar to those mentioned above for exploration licenses.
- 4.
The research is widely thought to be subject to the influence of mining companies, including the first President of Mongolia, Dr. Ochirbat, who is honorary President of the National Mining Association of Mongolia and one of the authors of the research report. Even in this report, however, there is clear evidence of the adverse impact that mining activities in the Ongi River are having on the flow of the river.
- 5.
The text of the law: http://www.legalinfo.mn/insys/lawmain.php?vlawid=46655 (in Mongolian). http://rivermovements.org/pdf/JulyLaw.pdf (in English)
References
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (project number D-04) and the Mongol Law Study Project of the Nagoya University.
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Suzuki, Y. (2013). Conflict Between Mining Development and Nomadism in Mongolia. In: Yamamura, N., Fujita, N., Maekawa, A. (eds) The Mongolian Ecosystem Network. Ecological Research Monographs. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54052-6_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54052-6_20
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