Mongolia eyes local power supply for giant copper mine

摘要

London —Rio Tinto and the government of Mongolia are closing in on an agreement that could see a coal power plant begin construction in 2021, allowing a giant copper mine to source energy directly rather than relying on imports. The Oyu Tolgoi mine is jointly owned by the government of Mongolia (34% stake) and Turquoise Hill (66%). Rio Tinto owns 50.8% of Turquoise Hill and manages the operation on behalf of the owners. Turquoise Hill produced 146,300 mt of copper in 2019 at the open pit Oyu Tolgoi mine. The company is currently designing an underground mine expansion at the site to reach an annual average copper output of 550,000 mt, which would make Oyu Tolgoi the world’s third-largest copper producing mine, according to the company’s website.