China is planning to carve 1.800 km of elevated railway on pillars across the Gobi Desert, linking Mongolia and Russia, eliminating gauge bottlenecks www.en.clickpetroleoegas.com.br

Designed to cross the Gobi Desert in a corridor of over 1.800 km, the elevated railway on pillars connects the Erenhot border to Mongolia and continues towards Russia, standardizes the gauge, and promises to transport coal, copper, and rare earth elements to Chinese ports without stops at the border.
The Gobi Desert has always been more than just an empty space on the map: it's an extreme environment, with temperatures below -40°C in winter, temperatures above 50°C in summer, and terrain that changes behavior as the ground freezes and thaws. It is in this setting that China plans to build an elevated railway spanning 1.800 km, transforming a natural barrier into a logistics corridor.

The ambition goes beyond engineering. When a project begins to dictate the pace of coal, copper, and rare earth production, it ceases to be merely infrastructure and becomes an instrument of power.especially for a landlocked country, trapped between two neighbors and dependent on routes that are currently hindering its economy.

What makes the Gobi Desert such a challenging challenge for any project?
In the Gobi Desert, the problem isn't just traversing distance. The difficulty begins with the climate and is compounded by the soil: the aggressive temperature variations accelerate material fatigue and increase the likelihood of deformations, cracks, and settlement.

In regions where the terrain is unpredictable, infrastructure must contend with the elements year-round....and the cost of this struggle is evident in constant maintenance and interruptions.

There is also the factor of soil freezing and the associated instability, which can transform a traditional solution into a series of patchwork repairs.

Bridges and roads can suffer when permafrost begins to thaw and then hardens again, creating cycles of expansion and contraction that disrupt alignments and foundations. For a freight corridor, predictability is just as important as speed.

Why raising the tracks changes the logic of crossing the tracks.

Instead of rails resting on the ground, the proposal places the railway on concrete pillars fixed to a more solid base, below the layer that freezes and thaws. With the tracks suspended, the expansion and contraction of the ground no longer dictate the alignment of the line., reducing some of the effects that would destroy a structure at ground level.

This choice also reveals the type of priority for the project: operational continuity. Approximately 60% of the planned route would be elevated, while the remainder would be on the ground where the terrain allows.

The logic is to use long viaducts in the most problematic areas of the Gobi Desert, without turning the entire route into a single rigid solution and, at the same time, without accepting the bottlenecks that the terrain would impose.

The corridor's design: from Erenhot to Mongolia and towards Russia.
The railway corridor begins in Erenhot, on the border with Mongolia, crosses approximately 1.000 km of the Gobi Desert within Mongolian territory, reaches the capital and continues towards Russia, with its destination indicated as the city of Nausqu.

In total, the route covers more than 1.800 km and was designed for high cargo capacity, with an expected operating speed of up to 120 km/h.

In addition to the elevated structure, the project incorporates solutions for harsh weather and operational safety: tunnels with ventilation and heating in colder sections, systems to prevent rail freezing, real-time earthquake monitoring, and engineering adjustments to reduce failures in extreme environments.

The goal is not just to build, but to keep it running regularly.Even when winter becomes a daily test.

Gauge and bottlenecks: the detail that delays weeks and costs a lot.

There is a technical obstacle that, for decades, has acted as a barrier to exports: the gauge, the distance between the rails.

The rail network associated with the Soviet standard does not coincide with the standard gauge used by China. In practice, this forces transshipment: cargo leaves one train and enters another when crossing the border, which consumes time, increases operating costs, and amplifies the risk of queues and delays.

This type of bottleneck doesn't just appear on the clock. It translates into financial costs and loss of competitiveness. A shipment of coal capable of crossing the country in a few days can be stuck for weeks waiting for transfer.

When transportation becomes unpredictable, the exporting country loses bargaining power.Because the buyer prices in risk and demands tougher conditions.

Standardization that changes the flow and shortens the route to the ports.
The railway was designed to use the international standard gauge, aligned with the Chinese standard. This tends to eliminate the need to change trains at the border, allowing cargo to leave the mines in Mongolia and go directly to Chinese ports.

The change seems technical, but it alters the economic landscape: it shortens time, reduces handling, and decreases losses associated with transshipment and waiting.

This standardization also creates a less obvious consequence: it increases the physical integration between Mongolian production and the Chinese industrial chain.

When the route becomes direct, whoever controls the logistics begins to influence the pace of the market.Because it controls the "how much" and the "when" of each batch that arrives for processing and export.

What lies beneath: why coal, copper, and rare earth elements become the focus of the project.
Mongolia holds reserves that are changing the country's importance on the global stage. The Oyu Tolgoi mine in the south is described as the third largest copper mine on the planet. Meanwhile, the Tavan Tolgoi region is associated with approximately 6 billion tons of coal.

In addition, there are significant reserves of rare earth elements, including elements such as neodymium and dysprosium, which are essential for permanent magnets used in electric motors and wind turbines.

Copper, in particular, appears as a key input for electrification: solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles consume large quantities, and projections indicate that global demand for the metal will double by 2035.

In this context, Logistics is not a detail: it's what determines who delivers first, who delivers cheapest, and who sets the standard..

Why would China invest 50 to 80 billion dollars?
The estimated cost of the corridor is between 50 and 80 billion dollars, a level that usually requires clear justification.

The first is economic: transforming a "locked vault" into a continuous export flow, reducing weeks of waiting to hours or a few days of transit.

The second is industrial: to quickly get raw materials to processing, expanding control over value chains.

The third reason is strategic. China already accounts for about 40% of the world's copper processing and dominates approximately 85% of global rare earth processing.

If the corridor shortens the distance between Mongolian reserves and Chinese processing, it reinforces that position. It's not just about buying ore, but about reducing the chance of competitors vying for the route and supply..

The geopolitical component that frightens the West.
The corridor fits into the China-Mongolia-Russia economic axis, associated with the Belt and Road Initiative, and creates the prospect of a direct land link from the Chinese coast to Russian territory.

This tends to reduce dependence on maritime routes and strategic bottlenecks, offering a logistical alternative to the north in a scenario of tensions, sanctions, trade disputes and competition for critical minerals.

For Western countries, the fear is not just the project itself, but the cumulative effect: more distribution capacity, more predictability, more integration and, potentially, more influence on the prices and availability of inputs essential to industry and the energy transition.

When access to critical minerals becomes more concentrated, foreign policy begins to move hand in hand with logistics..

Mongolia between two powers: real opportunity and proportional risk.
Mongolia is the largest landlocked country in the world and is surrounded by two neighbors, Russia to the north and China to the south. Solar Energy Systems

This map already defines part of the destiny: any infrastructure solution increases interdependence with one side, with the other, or with both. Part of society sees in the corridor the chance to break a historical blockade, transforming mineral wealth into development.

At the same time, there is a risk of over-dependency. The country is often described as "a shrimp between two whales," because a decision that excessively favors one side can generate a reaction from the other.

The line can become a corridor of growth or a corridor of influence, depending on who dictates the terms.And this can't be solved with just concrete and railroad tracks.

Debt, concessions, and what contracts decide in the long term.
Concern about the so-called "debt trap" accompanies large projects financed by powerful nations.

The concern is that the partner will accumulate obligations that it cannot pay and, faced with this, will be pressured to grant long-term control over strategic assets.

One example is the case of Sri Lanka, where a 99-year concession was granted for a port after payment difficulties arose.

To mitigate this type of risk, negotiation proposals are emerging: Mongolia's own equity stake in the railway, tariffs defined in the contract, and clauses that prevent the loss of strategic assets in case of default.

Even so, The heart of the story lies in the details: currency, collateral, arbitrage, usage targets, and review mechanisms.That's where works of this magnitude usually gain or lose legitimacy.

The environmental impact on the Gobi Desert and what still needs to be clarified.
The Gobi Desert is home to rare and endangered species, such as the wild bacterial camel and the snow leopard.

An elevated railway can reduce some direct impacts on the soil, but it does not eliminate effects such as noise, vibration, habitat fragmentation, and pressure for auxiliary infrastructure, especially if the project stimulates the opening of new mines and support routes.

There is also criticism that the environmental studies released so far are not sufficient to measure all the risks.

In fragile ecosystems, the "functioning" of the structure is not the only criterion: what matters is how the surrounding region changes.This includes wildlife, migration routes, breeding areas, and human access to previously isolated zones.

2035: What would change in the speed of mining and in global competition?
In the most optimistic scenario, the start of operations is projected for 2035. If the railway delivers on its promises, the time leap would be enormous: coal that currently takes weeks to reach Chinese ports could be transported in less than 48 hours; copper from Oyu Tolgoi could reach foundries in less than a day.

This tends to reduce costs, increase predictability, and put pressure on competitors to seek alternative supply and processing methods.

But the consequence is ambiguous. The route could accelerate the energy transition by facilitating the flow of copper and rare earths, while at the same time boosting coal and mining expansion in the Gobi Desert. Solar Energy Systems

The same path that shortens distances can lengthen dilemmas.Because it places development, sovereignty, the environment, and global competition on the same level.

Ultimately, the question is not only whether the pillars will withstand the Gobi Desert, but whether the agreements will withstand the weight of what will be carried by them.

If you were a citizen of Mongolia, what would you demand in order to support this corridor?

Would you prefer tariffs and equity stakes guaranteed for decades, strict environmental limits with independent oversight, or total priority for rapid growth even at the risk of dependency?

And from the outside, do you see this project as necessary infrastructure or as a piece of control over critical minerals that the whole world needs?

By Maria Heloisa Barbosa Borges

ETT to payout 2025 dividends to shareholders by April 30 www.gogo.mn

The board of directors has approved distribution of dividends from the company’s 2025 net profit, the firm announced.

Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi reported a MNT 1.1 trillion net profit for 2025. The board agreed to pay a total of MNT 786.6 billion to shareholders, equivalent to ₮65.55 per share, of which MNT 208.5 billion will be paid to 3.5 million Mongolian shareholders.

The acting chief executive was instructed to organise payment to individual citizens holding 1,072 shares. Under the board decision, those shareholders will receive MNT 63,242 (after tax) each. The company said the dividend payments to holders of 1,072 shares will be completed by April 30, 2026, in accordance with the law and established procedures, and in cooperation with relevant authorities.

Mongolia Ranked Among Five Most Peaceful Countries in Asia www.montsame.mn

 In the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2025 report, Mongolia was ranked among the five most peaceful countries in Asia.   

Over the past 10 years, Mongolia’s performance in the GPI has improved, allowing the country to consistently rank among the world’s top 50 nations. For instance, in 2015, Mongolia ranked 42nd in the world with a score of 2.22. Ten years later, its score improved to 1.71, placing it 5th in Asia and 37th out of 163 countries globally.

The Asia ranking was led by Singapore, followed by Japan, Malaysia, and Bhutan, with Mongolia coming next.

Released annually by Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the GPI ranks over 163 independent states and territories according to their levels of peacefulness. A composite index measuring the peacefulness of the countries is made up of 23 quantitative and qualitative indicators, each weighted on a scale of 1-5. The lower the score, the more peaceful the country. Indicators include perceptions of criminality, homicide rate, intensity of internal conflict, weapons imports, deaths from internal conflict, external conflicts fought, and others.

According to the report, Mongolia received favorable evaluations for its relatively stable political environment in the region, low level of external conflict, and strong indicators of societal safety and security.

In January, Mongolia recorded 44,767 tourist arrivals ahead of the 2026 Tourism Week www.open.kg

At the beginning of 2026, Mongolia recorded 44,767 international tourist arrivals in January, confirming a sustained interest in winter tourism. This data was presented by the Mongolian Tourism Organization (MTO) on their official platforms, highlighting the success of promotional activities and the strategic positioning of the country as a unique tourist destination with vast landscapes and nomadic heritage.

The MTO emphasized that January tourism holds special significance for the country, as winter tourism offerings, including cultural events and festivals, contribute to the diversification of the tourism sector beyond the traditional summer peak. The publication TravelDailyNews also noted the need to maintain international visibility for tourism throughout the year.

Additionally, the Mongolian Tourism Administration (MTO) announced preparations for "Tourism Week 2026," which will serve as an important platform for developing institutional coordination and professional standards in the tourism sector.

During "Tourism Week 2026," representatives from government bodies, tourism associations, and private operators are expected to participate. The event's program will focus on strategic priorities, product development, and human resource potential, while discussions will address improving service quality and adapting offerings to meet international market demands.

Industry forums, workshops, and professional certification are planned as part of the week, including the first summer examination cycle for licensed guides in 2026, which will help raise professional standards and prepare qualified personnel for the peak season.

This event will also promote cooperation between central authorities and regional stakeholders in the tourism sector, supporting structured planning and long-term sustainability of the sector. Previously, Mongolian authorities have emphasized the importance of enhancing service quality and coordinated marketing as key factors for future growth.

The combination of nearly 45,000 foreign tourists arriving in the country in January and the upcoming initiative "Tourism Week 2026" underscores the importance of maintaining positive momentum in inbound tourism.

Mongolian mining family buys $31.5M Hong Kong luxury home for retirement www.e.vnexpress.net

A wealthy Mongolian mining family has purchased a luxury detached house in Hong Kong’s Southern District for HK$247 million (US$31.5 million) to turn it into a 'retirement residence.'
Tisara Holdings, directed by Tselmuun Nyamtaishir, reached a provisional agreement on Jan. 29 to purchase House 5 at One Stanley, located along Wong Ma Kok Road in Stanley, according to Land Registry records as reported by Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.

Nyamtaishir serves as president and chief executive of Mongolyn Alt (MAK), the diversified mining and industrial group established in 1993 by her father, Byambaa Nyamtaishir.

She is also a non-executive director at XacBank, a major financial services provider in Mongolia.

MAK is among Mongolia’s leading coal exporters and one of the country’s early domestic producers supplying coal to China. The group has collaborated with partners including Qinghua Group and Huawei Technologies, while investing in infrastructure upgrades at the Shiveekhuren border crossing to expand export throughput.

One Stanley, comprises 43 blocks, offering a total of 82 units. It has attracted wealthy local and overseas buyers seeking privacy, exclusivity and sea views.

The Southern District and The Peak are among Hong Kong’s most prestigious residential areas and have been at the forefront of a broader recovery in the city’s luxury housing market after years of falling prices, China Daily reported.

The two districts recorded 174 primary and secondary market transactions in 2025, with total deal value rising 21.2% year on year to HKD19.9 billion, according to brokerage data.

This marked the highest annual turnover since 2021, when transaction value reached HKD26.1 billion at the previous market peak.

Chinese Embassy denies ties to Mongolian pilot arrested in Zambales www.filipinotimes.net

The Embassy of China in the Philippines said the Mongolian national arrested in Iba, Zambales has no connection to the Chinese government.

“To the best of our knowledge, this individual has no affiliation with China,” the embassy’s deputy spokesperson said in a statement.

The official also cautioned against drawing conclusions while the investigation is ongoing, stressing that “prejudging the matter before the facts are fully ascertained is fundamentally flawed and runs counter to basic principles of objectivity.”

Authorities have initiated deportation proceedings against the foreign national.

According to information obtained by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Mongolian citizen was allegedly a jet fighter pilot of the People’s Liberation Army and had completed training at the PLA Air Force Aviation University.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año earlier disclosed details of the suspect’s purported military background.

The foreigner is currently detained at the custodial facility of the Bureau of Immigration as the investigation continues.

Immigration authorities said the individual has denied the allegations against him.

Ancient DNA reveals Golden Horde elites’ Mongolian roots and ties to Central Eurasian populations www.archaeologymag.com

Researchers have analyzed ancient DNA from four elite burials in the Ulitau region of central Kazakhstan and traced their ancestry to the Mongolian Plateau. The graves belong to members of the Golden Horde, the northwestern branch of the Mongol Empire founded by descendants of Genghis Khan. The findings appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and offer rare genetic data from the ruling class of this medieval state.

The Golden Horde took shape in the thirteenth century under Jochi, the eldest son of Genghis Khan. His successors ruled large parts of Central Eurasia and Eastern Europe. Local tradition holds that one of the mausoleums studied in Ulitau contains Jochi’s remains. The research team did not confirm the identity of the individual in that tomb, but the genetic evidence places the buried elites within a clear Mongolian lineage.

Scientists extracted DNA from three men and one woman buried in the mausoleums. Genome analysis showed that the three men shared a paternal line. All carried a Y-chromosome lineage known as haplogroup C3, often linked to populations from the Mongolian Plateau. Around twenty years ago, researchers reported that a large number of men across Central Eurasia shared a related Y-chromosome pattern. Some estimates suggested that about one in 200 men carried a lineage traced to the Mongol expansion.

The new results add detail to that picture. The Golden Horde males belonged to a specific branch within the broader C3 group. Modern populations carry related branches at different frequencies, but the exact sublineage found in these tombs appears less common today than the larger cluster. Ancient DNA allows researchers to separate close branches that look similar in living populations.

The team also examined the full genomes of the four individuals. Most of their ancestry traces back to Ancient Northeast Asian groups. A smaller portion is linked to Ancient North Eurasians or steppe populations related to Scythians, including Kipchak tribes who lived in the region before and during Mongol rule. Historical sources describe alliances and integration between Mongol rulers and local steppe groups. The genetic data align with that record.
 
Archaeological evidence from the mausoleums supports this view. Burial structures and artifacts combine Mongol traditions with local elements, pointing to a ruling class that maintained eastern roots while governing western territories. The graves reflect a society in transition rather than one in isolation.

Ancient DNA reveals Golden Horde elites’ Mongolian roots and ties to Central Eurasian populations
Jochi Mausoleum, Ulytau Region, Kazakhstan. Public domain
Researchers also built an identity-by-descent network using genomic data. Through this method, they identified genetic ties between the Ulitau individuals and medieval populations on the Mongolian Plateau. These links show continued biological connections between western Mongol elites and their eastern homelands.

The burial site of Genghis Khan has never been found, and without his remains, no direct genetic comparison is possible. Even so, the Ulitau genomes narrow the range of likely lineages within the ruling family. The study provides direct ancient DNA evidence from high-status Golden Horde burials and refines long-standing claims about the spread of haplogroup C3 during the Mongol Empire.

By Dario Radley

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Sends Tsagaan Sar Greetings to Mongolia www.montsame.mn

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended his greetings to the people of Mongolia on the occasion of Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian Lunar New Year.

In his message, he conveyed warm wishes to all Mongolians and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to strengthening its Strategic Third Neighbor Partnership with Mongolia, wishing everyone health, happiness, and prosperity in the Year of the Fire Horse.

Industrial Sector Output Increases by 55 Percent www.montsame.mn

Mongolia’s industrial sector output reached MNT 5.4 trillion as of preliminary results of January 2026, marking an increase of 55 percent, or MNT 1.9 trillion, compared to the same period last year.

According to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia, the growth was mainly driven by the mining and quarrying sector, which rose by 68 percent (MNT 1.8 trillion), and the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply sector, which increased by 34.3 percent (MNT 95.3 billion).

In January’s preliminary results, mining and quarrying output totaled MNT 4.4 trillion. This growth was largely due to a 2.2-fold increase (MNT 1.4 trillion) in metal ore mining and a 29.9 percent rise (MNT 396.4 billion) in hard coal and lignite mining.

In physical terms, production of iron ore and copper concentrate (in metal content), as well as hard coal and iron ore volume, increased between 3.5 percent and 2.3 times compared to the same period last year. However, output of unrefined gold, crude oil, fluorspar, lignite, silver, and zinc concentrate declined by 2.5 to 89.1 percent.

In the manufacturing sector, physical production of key products such as water, beverages and juice, metal castings, lime, cashmere knitwear, combed cashmere, and cement increased between 1.8 percent and 4.2 times year-on-year. Meanwhile, production of vodka, liquid milk, flour, pure alcohol, copper cathodes, cigarettes, and meat decreased by 1.5 to 60.4 percent.

Industrial sector sales reached MNT 8 trillion as of the preliminary result of January, up by MNT 4.6 trillion (2.4 times) from the same period last year. Mining sector sales accounted for the majority of the increase, rising by MNT 4.4 trillion (2.8 times).

In January, MNT 6.4 trillion worth of industrial products were sold to foreign markets, of which MNT 6.3 trillion came from the mining and quarrying sector.

Of total mining exports, 26.5 percent consisted of coal, 71.7 percent metal ores, 0.9 percent crude oil, and 0.9 percent other mineral products.

Atmospheric Distillation Column of the Oil Refinery Is Ready for Transportation www.montsame.mn

The Atmospheric Distillation Column, the core technological unit of the Oil Refinery being constructed in Altanshiree soum of Dornogobi aimag, has been manufactured by KCP Limited in Chennai, India. Following 17 stages of quality inspections and testing, the column has been filled with nitrogen and prepared for long-distance transportation.

Standing 58.4 meters tall, with a diameter of 3.2 meters and weighing 245 tons, the column will be transported in four sections. In mid-February, it will be shipped by sea from Mumbai, India, and subsequently delivered by trailer from Tianjin Port in China to the refinery site in Mongolia.

The management and engineers of the project implementer, “Mongol Oil Refinery” LLC, reviewed the production progress of the distillation column in December 2025. The manufacturing process has now been fully completed, and the unit is ready for shipment.