Inner Mongolia halts 15 coal mines over capacity breaches www.mining-technology.com

Inner Mongolia, a major coal-producing region in China, has directed 15 coal mines to cease operations after exceeding their approved output limits, reported Reuters. 
The decision follows an inspection initiated by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Energy Bureau aimed at addressing overcapacity issues in the sector. 
The move aligns with Beijing’s efforts to manage production capacity and limit excess production in the industry. 
A document from the Inner Mongolia Energy Bureau, confirmed by Reuters, revealed that 15 mines in Ordos had exceeded their authorised capacity by more than 10% in the first half of 2025 (H1 2025). 
The affected mines are instructed to halt production and can only resume after passing safety inspections conducted by regional regulators. 
However, the document did not specify when these inspections would occur, said the Reuters report. 
In July, China began a series of inspections in key coal-producing areas, instructing local authorities to report on any mines surpassing their production limits for 2024 and H1 2025. 
A document stated to be from China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) called for inspections in eight provinces to verify if coal mines were exceeding their licensed production capacities. 
The NEA is a part of the National Development and Reform Commission, which finalised regulations to establish a coal production reserve system by 2027. 
The move led to a rise in market speculation and a surge in coking coal prices. 
The most active coal contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange increased nearly 8% to 1,048.5 yuan ($146.19) per tonne, its highest level since March.

Oldest Known Pachycephalosaur Fossil Discovered in Mongolia www.yahoo.com

Anyone who has ever flipped open a dinosaur book is likely familiar with pachycephalosaurs. These dome-headed dinos are often depicted ramming the tops of their bowling-ball-like skulls into predators or rivals.
Yet despite their popularity, pachycephalosaurs continue to puzzle paleontologists in part because fossils of these bipedal herbivores are rare, says Lindsay Zanno, a paleontologist at North Carolina State University. “The exception is their cranial domes, which were practically indestructible and are usually all we find of these critters,” she says. Almost all of these skull caps date back to the Late Cretaceous, when pachycephalosaurs were already established across the Northern Hemisphere, obscuring the group’s early evolution.
A pachycephalosaur skeleton that was recently discovered in Mongolia is poised to finally fill in the missing chapter of this dinosaur clade’s early history. The remarkably complete fossil, which Zanno and her colleagues described on Wednesday in the journal Nature, represents a new species that is the oldest known dome-headed dinosaurs.
The fossil was unearthed in 2019 in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, a famed hotbed for dinosaur fossils. While surveying a hillside, Mongolian paleontologist Tsogtbaatar Chinzorig of North Carolina State University and a co-author of the new paper, discovered the top of a dinosaur’s noggin sticking out of a cliff.
The fossil was embedded inside rocks that date to between 115 million and 108 million years ago, in the Early Cretaceous period, when the area was covered by a lush river valley. The team deposited the remarkable find at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Paleontology, where Tsogtbaatar is also affiliated.
As the researchers chipped away at the surrounding rock, they quickly realized that the new specimen represented the most complete pachycephalosaur fossil ever discovered. In addition to the rounded skull, the skeleton contains the first record of a pachycephalosaur hand and a complete tail covered with petrified tendons. It even preserves gastroliths—gizzard stones that the animal swallowed to help grind plant material in its digestive tract.
The scientists named the new species Zavacephale rinpoche. The species name is the Tibetan word for “precious one” and refers to the way the skull resembled a rounded, polished gemstone when Tsogtbaatar discovered it.
Zavacephale was a pint-sized pachycephalosaur that weighed roughly as much as a miniature poodle. Despite its diminutive size, the animal possessed a fully developed dome and had likely reached sexual maturity.
Researchers have debated for decades how these dinosaurs used their signature dome. Some have argued that the rounded melons played a role in sexual selection or that they helped species recognize one another. But the most popular interpretation is that the animals used the structure to headbutt one another, as modern bighorn sheep do, which is supported by fossilized skull caps that preserve lesions and other signs of trauma.
The team concluded that Zavacephale represents the oldest known pachycephalosaur and likely originated early on in the evolution of this bizarre group of dinosaurs. “It tells us that the dome head evolved early in pachycephalosaur evolution and arose long before Zavacephale’s bigger, cousins started littering the latest Cretaceous fossil record with their skull caps,” says Stephen Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the new study.
Zavacephale’s cranium had a few noteworthy quirks, however. It was mostly composed of only one skull bone instead of the two bones seen in later species and largely lacked the knobby horns that other pachycephalosaurs had as ornamentation. Brusatte thinks that future finds of early pachycephalosaurs may further reveal how the group’s signature headgear evolved over time.
Zanno agrees. “Zavacephale was just an opening act,” she says, “and now we get to see more of the show.”

14th MBD mission for MBCC's "Doing business with Mongolia seminar & Christmas Reception" and business program Dec 08- 14. 2025 London, UK www.mongolianbusinessdatabase.com

Mongolian Business Database with the support of the British Embassy in UB and Mongolian-British Chamber of Commerce is starting to register the participants for MBCC's "Doing Business with Mongolia seminar & Christmas Reception" at Goodman RWK on Dec 10.2025 and business program in London, UK between Dec  08- 14. 2025.
The delegates will visit the House of Commons according to the special program and able to visit “STM Innovator Fair 2025”, "The Royal Kingston Fair" trade events and The Nutcracker at The London Coliseum, Sleeping Beauty at the London Palladium etc cultural events in London are available during the period. (Chelsea vs Everton, Liverpool vs Brighton, Arsenal vs Wolves, Tottenham vs Nottm Forest etc EPL games are scheduled on Dec 13) 
The MBCC (Mongolian-British Chamber of Commerce) is a not-for-profit membership organisation established in 2009 to foster strong business links between Mongolia and the UK. It aims to provide a professional and social environment for business people who wish to be introduced to and become part of, the British-Mongolian business culture and community.
Please contact for the registration and info in detail at 976 99066062 and contact@mongolianbusinessdatabase.com

IMF Wraps Up 2025 Article IV Talks With Mongolia www.imf.org

Washington, DC: On September 5, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the Article IV Consultation for Mongolia [1]
A booming mining sector in 2023-24 significantly bolstered exports and fiscal revenues, underpinning robust economic growth and lower external and fiscal vulnerabilities. However, coal exports declined markedly in the first half of 2025, resulting in a widening current account deficit, reduced budget revenues, and depreciation pressures. After peaking in February 2025, headline inflation moderated to 8.2 percent by June. Credit growth in both the banking and nonbank financial sectors remains high, despite some recent moderation. The new government, formed in June 2025, has signaled policy continuity. In response to revenue shortfalls, it submitted an amended budget to Parliament aimed at reducing expenditures and ensuring compliance with the structural fiscal deficit limit.
Growth in 2025 is projected to rise to 5.5 percent, supported by a strong recovery in the agriculture sector. Mining output is expected to remain robust, driven by increased production of higher-grade copper concentrate at Oyu Tolgoi. However, a sharp decline in coal exports—primarily due to lower prices—is expected to widen both the current account and fiscal deficits. Growth is projected to remain around 5½ percent in 2026. Inflation is anticipated to stay above the BOM target band until 2026. Over the medium term, growth is projected to gradually converge to its potential of about 5 percent. Current account deficits are forecast to persist, reflecting the high import intensity of investment projects and continued strong consumer goods imports.
Downside risks to the outlook have increased, stemming from uncertainties in Chinese coal demand and larger-than-expected declines in coal prices. Policy slippages could undermine reform progress, particularly amid growing pressures to accelerate and broaden the distribution of mining benefits by reducing non-mineral tax collections and exempting large investment projects from the fiscal rules.
Executive Board Assessment [2]
Executive Directors noted the strong growth and fiscal surpluses achieved in 2023−2024, which helped reduce Mongolia's vulnerabilities. Directors underscored, however, that the near-term outlook has become less favorable, with rising downside risks from lower coal prices and greater global uncertainty. Against this backdrop, they called for prudent macroeconomic policies to restore external and internal balances and for structural reforms to achieve diversified and sustainable growth.
Directors welcomed the authorities' commitment to meeting the structural deficit limit through expenditure restraint, which is reflected in the supplementary 2025 budget. They emphasized the need to create fiscal space by broadening the non-mining tax base and to implement mega capital projects within the fiscal rules and after careful prioritization. Directors encouraged the authorities to ensure that the tax package currently under review reduces reliance on volatile mining revenues and safeguards fiscal sustainability. They also stressed the importance of avoiding frequent changes to fiscal rules to preserve their credibility. Directors encouraged the authorities to expand domestic debt issuance to develop domestic debt markets and enhance monetary policy transmission.
Directors called on the Bank of Mongolia (BOM) to maintain a tight monetary policy stance to contain inflation. They also recommended strengthening the BOM's legal mandate, operational autonomy, and governance through amendments to the central bank law and by ending the BOM's quasi-fiscal operations.
Directors concurred that greater exchange rate flexibility would enhance Mongolia's resilience to external shocks and help deepen the foreign exchange market. They encouraged the BOM to pursue opportunistic reserve accumulation when market conditions allow.
Directors welcomed the recent macroprudential policy tightening. They encouraged aligning the debt service-to-income (DSTI) limit for nonbank financial institutions with that of banks, incorporating pension-backed loans into the DSTI limit, expanding the BOM's macroprudential toolkit, and separating macroprudential from monetary policy. Directors also recommended strengthening financial oversight and insolvency frameworks.
Directors agreed that structural reforms to improve the business climate, combat corruption, strengthen governance, and address climate change-related challenges remain essential for achieving diversified and sustainable growth. They welcomed the progress made in strengthening the AML/CFT framework and called for its effective implementation.

Posco International to Launch Wastewater Heat District Heating Project in Mongolia www.cm.asiae.co.kr

Posco International announced on September 15 (local time) that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Ulaanbaatar City at Ulaanbaatar City Hall in Mongolia to promote a "heating supply project utilizing wastewater heat."
Under this partnership, Posco International will pursue a plan to supply waste heat generated from Ulaanbaatar’s central wastewater treatment plant to nearby redeveloped residential areas. The two parties will jointly conduct a feasibility study for the project by the first half of 2026. If the project is proven to be economically and technologically viable, they plan to implement the main project for 15 years using the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model starting in the second half of the year. Once completed, district heating will be provided to a newly constructed residential complex with 4,000 households.
Ulaanbaatar is known as one of the cities with the worst air pollution in the world during winter, with coal used for heating identified as a major cause. Posco International has proposed a solution that recycles waste heat generated during the wastewater treatment process to supply district heating, thereby reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and fine particulate matter.
Posco International is currently operating a district heating project utilizing wastewater heat at the Tancheon Wastewater Treatment Plant in Seoul. The company supplies 204,900 gigacalories of heat annually to 20,000 households in Gangnam District, saving approximately 20,490 tons of oil equivalent and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 33,972 tons.
A Posco International representative stated, "This project not only contributes to solving Ulaanbaatar’s environmental issues, but also marks a significant step in applying Posco Group’s eco-friendly energy technology and business capabilities overseas. We also plan to explore the possibility of expanding this business into the Central Asian region."

Mongolia's external debt up 12.7 pct in Q2 2025 www.news.az

Mongolia's external debt reached 39.6 billion U.S. dollars in the second quarter of 2025, up 12.7 percent from the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Office on Monday, News.az reports citing CNN.
The growth in external debt was largely driven by a 10.7-percent increase in direct investment and intercompany loans, as well as a 10.3-percent rise in government borrowing, according to the data.
Meanwhile, the credit rating agency Fitch Ratings forecasted that Mongolia's gross general government debt will decline to below 40 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the medium term from 41.8 percent of GDP at the end of 2024.
However, a substantial share of public debt is denominated in foreign exchange, highlighting exchange-rate risk, the agency added.
Fitch has predicted that Mongolia's real GDP growth will pick up to 5.7 percent this year, driven by an agricultural recovery after two harsh winters.

2025 Autumn Session of the State Great Khural Commences with Structural Reforms www.montsame.mn

 The autumn session of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia began on September 15, 2025, under a newly amended schedule.
At the opening of the autumn session, Speaker of the Parliament Amarbayasgalan Dashzegve extended congratulations on the 35th anniversary of the establishment of a permanent parliament in Mongolia and the International Day of Democracy.
Speaker Amarbaysgalan noted that this regular session begins with several key changes, including a restructured Standing Committee system. To improve coherence in parliamentary discussions and increase member participation, the scope of work for the Standing Committees has been streamlined, reducing their number from 11 to 8.
The Speaker also highlighted that the Law on Amendments to the Law on Legislation, a key reform for the legislative process, came into effect on August 1, 2025. Alongside its adoption, Parliament passed a resolution titled “On Measures to Enforce the Revised Law on Legislation” which instructs the Government to align all existing laws with the revised legislation and to submit the corresponding draft law by May 1, 2026.
During his address, Speaker Amarbaysgalan emphasized the urgent need to reform Mongolia’s social insurance system, noting that it remains based on outdated structures. The high tax burden is restricting productivity, growth, and development, and citizens and businesses are calling for a legal environment that reduces tax and social insurance pressures and encourages private sector growth over state-run enterprises. He commended the government for utilizing the E-mongolia platform to engage citizens in the development of the 2026 budget. However, a recent public survey identified health and education as the top priorities for increased funding. Nevertheless, the proposed 2026 budget includes a deficit of MNT 1.3 trillion, with no increase in education sector financing compared to the previous year.
Speaker Amarbayasgalan urged lawmakers to re-evaluate the education system and its budget, highlighting its critical role in shaping the future of Mongolia’s children and national development.
Following amendments made during the last spring session to the Law on the State Great Khural of Mongolia, the autumn regular session now begins on September 15 – two weeks earlier than the previous October 1 start date – and will run for a minimum of 75 working days.
On the opening day of the session, the plenary meeting will commence with initial discussions on several key draft laws, including the 2026 Budget Framework Statement of Mongolia, the 2027-2028 Budget Projection, and the 2026 budgets for the State, the Sovereign Wealth Fund, the Social Insurance Fund, and the Health Insurance Fund.

Mongolia Surpasses 617,000 Tourist Arrivals by Mid-September 2025 www.montsame.mn

In the first eight months of 2025, Mongolia welcomed approximately 600,000 international tourists.
Since the beginning of September, more than 16,000 additional visitors have arrived, bringing the total to 617,000 as of September 10, 2025.
This surge in tourism follows a record-breaking year in 2024, when 808,900 tourists visited the country, generating USD 1.6 billion in revenue for the tourism sector – a historic high. In response, the Mongolian government and tourism organizations have set a target milestone of attracting 1 million tourists in 2025.
Mongolia continues to captivate travelers with its dramatic natural landscapes, rich nomadic heritage, and ancient historical sites. However, industry experts note that challenges remain, particularly in infrastructure development and inconsistencies in service quality.
In 2024, the majority of tourists came from China, Russia, South Korea, Japan, and the United States, typically opting for short-term visits. China led in visitor numbers, followed by Russia, South Korea, Japan, and Kazakhstan.

Odd-even traffic restriction concludes www.ubpost.mn

Ulaanbaatar’s temporary odd-even license plate traffic restriction, which has been in effect since August 27, is set to conclude on September 16. The measure, introduced for a 20-day period, required vehicles to enter the capital city’s roads on alternating days depending on whether their license plates ended with an odd or even number.
City officials announced that the system will remain in force until this Tuesday. Beginning Wednesday, traffic regulation in the capital city will return to its standard weekly restriction, where each vehicle is prohibited from entering central Ulaanbaatar one day a week, based on the final digit of its license plate.
The odd-even restriction was initially adopted to help ease severe congestion during the late summer period, when traffic volumes traditionally spike. According to the capital city’s traffic authorities, the measure has provided temporary relief, reducing pressure on the busiest intersections and main roads. However, it was always intended as a short-term solution.
Officials have emphasized that while the odd-even system has offered some breathing room for drivers, sustainable solutions will require long-term investments in public transportation, road infrastructure, and traffic management technology. For now, residents are being reminded to adjust their travel plans as the city transitions back to the weekly license plate schedule starting mid-week.

MMC Announces First Gold Pour Completed at the Bayan Khundii Mine in Mongolia www.sg.finance.yahoo.com