Coal news and updates

Mongolia eyes ramp-up of coking coal, copper exports to China in 2022: minister

Mongolia is ramping up its efforts to supply raw material such as coking coal and copper to China in 2022 after a lackluster trade in 2021, as it expands its mining sector and boosts its transport network, said Batnairamdal Otgonshar, Vice-Minister at Mongolia’s Mining and Heavy Industry Ministry.

Mongolia is a key metallurgical coal and copper concentrates suppliers to China, with most of the trade happening through trucks. Mongolian truck suppliers in 2021 faced severe logistics issues in hauling shipments from land ports to China due to the pandemic-led restrictions at border crossings.

Mongolia is looking to launch three railway lines this year, which will bring the country’s mining sector to a whole new level, Otgonshar said in an interview with S&P Global Commodity Insights.

Railway shipments will be much convenient, cost-effective, and safer with less human contact amid COVID-19 border restrictions compared to trucks, once the rail networks come online, Otgonshar said.

Suppliers will use the new railway lines to ship coking coal and copper concentrates.