At the weekend, Mongolian Prime Minister J.Erdenebat, visited Umnugovi (south Gobi) province and paid a visit to Oyu Tolgoi LLC, one of the world's largest and most modern copper-gold mines. Since becoming PM, J.Erdenebat has visited eight provinces.

Mr Erdenbat said, ‘the importance of Oyu Tolgoi LLC shouldn’t be measured only on tax revenues to budget – its supply and procurement should come from Mongolia. The company must focus on providing Mongolians with a work place and giving them advanced training’.

The Oyu Tolgoi mining project directly affects Mongolian economy growth. The company currently employs 1600 workers and is widening its business circles in cooperating with local companies.

B.Munkhbaatar, executive director of Oyu Tolgoi LLC, noted that over 80 percent of mine’s total value lies deep underground and 90% of the 1600 employees working on the mines are Mongolians. During the third quarter of 2016, the company worked with a total of 852 companies; 60% of them local. Underground mining production is expected to start in 2020. When the all-important underground section is fully operational, the company will produce an additional 100 thousand tonnes of copper per day. At present, Oyu Tolgoi LLC produces 100 thousand tonnes copper a day from the open cast mine.