The railway issue is to be discussed in Parliament in its Spring session.

Private entities were given three special licenses to build railroads. Energy Resource was given permission to build a narrow-gauge railroad from Tavantolgoi mine to Gashuunsukhait. The company announced it will spend MNT 100 million and begin construction this spring.

The Government has since been criticized for granting the permission without clearance from the National Security Council. The move was also criticized as helping export ores to China, discouraging the development of domestic processing industries. There the matter rests now, with action likely only after Parliament takes a decision.