Mongolia earned USD 2 billion from its coal sector in 2011, a 30 to 50 percent increase over previous years.

The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy plans to increase coal exploitation, and it projects the country will mine some 100 million tons of coal by 2017. The ministry plans to process 60 to 70 percent of the mined coal for domestic use and for export.

A coal processing plant in Ulaanbaatar will go on line later this year. It will supply as much as half the coal needed to produce the capital’s electricity. Also, the Government has concluded an agreement with foreign investors to build a new power plant in Ulaanbaatar.