Over the 11 months of 2017, the sector accumulated MNT1,416 trillion to the state budget with nine types of taxes, fees and royalties. It shows an increase of MNT764 billion or two-fold against the same period of previous year.

In the past ten months, mining and extractive industries produced 40 million tons of coal, 1 million ton of copper concentrate, 17.4 tons of gold, 4.7 thousand tons of molybdenum concentrate, 6.7 million tons of iron ore, 3 million tons of iron ore concentrate, 104 thousand tons of fluorspar, 17 thousand tons of spar concentrate and 69 thousand tons of zinc concentrate.

Moreover, the export of mining products made up 78.8 percent of the country’s gross export.

As of December 11, 2017, 7.14 million barrel or 968 thousand tons of crude oil were extracted, of which 7.06 million barrel or 960 thousand tons of crude oil were exported, accumulating MNT178.7 billion to the state budget.

Within the framework of IMF Extended Fund Facility, it was decided to increase rates of excise duties on petroleum and diesel fuel stage by stage in July and October of 2017. With its resolution dated November 15, 2017, the Government decided to increase the excise duty on petroleum with up to 90 octane, which will be imported through Sukhbaatar, Zamyn-Uud and Ereentsav border checkpoints, by MNT30,000 per ton, the duty on petroleum with 90 octane and higher by MNT50,000 per ton and the duty on diesel fuel by MNT100,000 per ton. The resolution came into force from November 30.  
As of December 5, Mongolia had a 38-day reserve of oil products for domestic need.

The floating photovoltaic power station, whose construction began back in July at a cost of $151 million, is set to become fully operational by May 2018. According to the company, this is the world’s biggest plant of its kind. It features panels fixed to floats on the surface of a lake, which formed after a coal mine collapsed.

In a press release, the clean-energy firm said that the station will avoid the use of about 53,000 tonnes of standard coal and reduce emissions by about 199,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide. It is also expected to meet the electricity demand of about 94,000 urban and rural families.

China Three Gorges Chairman, Lu Chun, said in the same media statement that this would be not only the largest but also the "most intelligent solar power project with the most advanced technology in the world."

The release also highlighted that annual tax payment for the PV project will amount to about $3.77 million per year, which would benefit local governments from a financial point of view but also from an ecological perspective. “[It would] change the ‘subsidence area’ of coal mining from ‘burden’ to ‘fortune,’ from ‘underground’ to ‘above the ground’ and change the development approach from ‘black’ to ‘green’.”

The funds will be used to expedite development of Aspire’s 90% owned Nuurstei Coking Coal Project in Mongolia.

Aspire aims to take the project into production within 18 months.

The company is now planning to undertake a drilling and exploration program at the Nuurstei project.

Rights issue details

Eligible shareholders had the opportunity to subscribe for six new shares for every five shares held at an issue price of $0.012 each.

The rights issue was fully underwritten by Patersons Securities Limited and sub-underwritten by the company’s major shareholder Noble Group (SGX:CGP).

Noble subscribed for the full amount of its entitlement (circa $2.97 million) and took up a further amount of $0.59 million on a priority sub-underwriting basis.

This takes Noble’s voting power in the company to 19.9% on an undiluted basis.

Drilling and exploration program commencing

Aspire has planned a $2 million drilling and exploration program at the Nuurstei Coking Coal Project.

The program aims to increase current resources and establish an ore reserve, which will then lead to a new resource model planned to be completed in the first quarter of 2018.

Capital costs for the development of Nuurstei have been further refined, with the current estimate of US$13 to US$14 million to be confirmed in the feasibility study process.

The end objective of these studies is to confirm an economically viable mining operation commencing within an estimated 18 month period.

David Paull, managing director, said: “Further to our announcement on Tuesday 5 December, we are pleased to have successfully raised the full amount of $16.5 million from the fully underwritten rights issue.

“The underwriting was supported by a strong panel of institutional sub-underwriters seeking to position themselves as shareholders and we welcome them in that capacity.

“Our focus is now squarely on confirming the feasibility and commencing the development of the Nuurstei Coking Coal Project.”

Debt reduction on track

Aspire intends to pay $0.19 million of the funds raised under the rights issue to Noble which, when combined with Noble’s participation in the rights issue, will result in a total reduction of $3.75 million in the amount owing to Noble.

This completes the first of a further series of transactions designed to reduce the existing US$6.65 million debt owing under the Noble Facility to US$1.8 million.

The MSE ALL Index decreased by 0.19 percent to stand at 1,222.67 points. The MSE market cap stands at MNT2,578,580,001,601

With an aim to increase number of passengers and flow of freight transport from Altanbulag checkpoint to Kyakhta, ‘Ulaanbaatar Railway’ Joint Venture decided to open this express train. The express trains N305 and N306 will travel in this route three times a week or on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays. Previously it used to take about 40 hours to travel to Irkutsk whereas the express will reach its destination within 24 hour stoping at three stations: Sukhbaatar, Naushki and Ulan-Ude. 

"Beginning from November, 2014 citizens of Mongolia and Russia are allowed to mutually travel without visa for three months. Thus Altanbulag border checkpoint’s load has been increased considerably. In order to create condition for convenient, comfortable and cheap travel to passengers the company launched this express train. I believe it will give stimulus to tourism development of Mongolia" remarked D.Jigjidnyamaa, Chairman of the ‘Ulaanbaatar Railway’ Joint Venture.

Third Secretary of Embassy of the Russian Federation in Mongolia M.B.Mashaninov said "As a result of visa free travel for three months, people to people relations and economic cooperation of the two countries are broadening. I am confident that the express train will intensify the relations more". 

The express train with six passenger coaches is expected to carry 21.5 thousand passengers a year. Also it is possible to add coaches up to 18 during special times, said the officials.

Single ticket price is MNT118 thousand for adults and MNT 71 thousand for children.

The memorandum was signed by Ambassador of Mongolia to Italy Ts.Jambaldorj and Paolo Emilio Signorini, President of the Port Authority of Genoa and Savona.

Following the signing ceremony, the sides exchanged views on bilateral cooperation in maritime transport, access to seaport, usage of ships and customs and logistics.

This increase in demand is both a gift and a curse for nomadic herders, who make up about 50% of the population. Cashmere goats are by far the most lucrative of livestock, but keeping up with booming demand is proving unsustainable. Herders have at least doubled—if not tripled—the size of their flocks over the past decade, says William Danforth, author of the MICC report.

The Mongolian government is ill-equipped to handle the classic tragedy-of-the-commons problem, so private international actors are stepping in. Paris-based Kering Group, which owns brands like Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga, is partnering with nonprofits to develop more sustainable models for cashmere production. The group’s focus is educating herders on pasture management and animal welfare, but there is much work to be done further down the supply chain.

Cashmere manufacturing is a complex ecosystem riddled with middlemen who sell the processed fabric for USD 150 per kilogram, while herders themselves get only USD 20 of that.

1. STOCK TRADING:

A total of 61 companies’ 8,509,580 shares worth MNT6,055,558,659 were traded.

2. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TRADING:

No government securities were issued on the primary market during the week spanning December 4 to December 8, 2017.

On the secondary market trading of Government securities, 4,054 units of securities were traded for MNT416,672,720 through 8 trading sessions

3. CORPORATE BONDS TRADING:

As of December 8, 2017, total market capitalization of MSE is MNT2,633,535,201,424 . The MSE ALL index declined by 1.42% to stand at 1,230.94 units.

The MSE ALL Index decreased by 0.81 percent to stand at 1,220.93 points. The MSE market cap stands at MNT2,624,384,707,766.