Chita, Russia's Siberian crossroads, on the doorstep of China & Mongolia www.euronews.com

Chita is one of the largest cities in Eastern Siberia. The famous Trans-Siberian railway passes through here, connecting two continents - Europe and Asia. Due to its geographical position, Chita has always been at the crossroads of cultures.

We came here with bloggers from different parts of the world, participants in the international cross-cultural program Follow Up Siberia, organised by Norilsk Nickel, in order to acquaint active young people with the real Siberia ahead of the upcoming Winter Universiade.

The Transbaikal region has a common border with two countries at once - China and Mongolia. This fact largely determines the cultural diversity of the region.

In Chita you can find the oldest wooden church in the Russian Far East - the famous Decembrist Church. But there is also one of the largest Buddhist temples in Russia - the Aginsky datsan.

Buddhism in Transbaikalia was introduced by Mongolian and Tibetan lamas in the 16th - 17th centuries. Since then, this religion has been firmly rooted among the local peoples, mainly the Buryats.

"Aginsky datsan absorbed all the traditions and customs of the Buryat people. Its the continuity of our culture and we are proud of it," says Cidip Lama.

"I am very glad that I came to Siberia. We met wonderful people here and discovered a local culture that surprisingly was very much influenced by Mongolian culture," says blogger Analucia Rodriguez.

In the past, to survive in the harsh taiga it was necessary to be a good hunter. Today, the need for this has disappeared, but archery is still held in high esteem among the peoples of Transbaikalia. The Buryats respectfully refer to the most accurate and skillful shooters as "mergen". Among them, Alexander Dambaev, multiple Russian champion and champion of Europe in compound archery.

Siberia is a land of tradition. But in the 21st century this remote region faces new challenges - the need to develop new technologies. In Chita, together with bloggers, we met with Eugenia Mezenina, the founder of a school for children, "Zablab", where, starting at the age of 6, kids can get acquainted with the basic principles of engineering and robotics.

"Today, the geographical situation of Siberia is no longer a barrier to the development of technical thinking and modern technologies," she insists.

Transbaikalia is a region amazingly rich in natural resources, where the majestic Siberian taiga meets with endless steppes. But not only! Transbaikalia is also a land of mighty rivers, a so- called world watershed, where the basins of three major rivers, the Amur, Lena and Yenisei, take their sources. Their waters begin to flow here and end a few thousand kilometers away, in the Arctic and Pacific Oceans.

''I think Siberian people are friendly. They are interested in different cultures,'' says blogger Anica Kolic from Croatia.

During our stay in Chita we learned how to cook traditional the Buryat meal Buuz - a favorite dish of steppe nomads, which is prepared here according to a special recipe.

And what could be better than completing our journey with a stage performance of Anton Chekhov's short story "The Swedish Match", who wrote in his notes during his trip through Siberia: "Before you reach the lake Baikal you feel prose. Only when you leave lake Baikal behind you real poetry begins".

Statistical review of mining sector introduced www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/ On October 25, the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry called its regular press briefing ‘Transparent and Accountable Mining’. At the press conference, the Mining and Heavy Industry Minister D.Sumiyabazar briefed about first nine months’ statistical review of the sector.

Authorities cut budget on air pollution reduction www.zgm.mn

This week, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Budget held the second discussion of the 2019 Budget bill and cut a total of MNT 271.2 billion expenditures from several sources, such as the allocation to measures on air pollution reduction, education, customs reform and mortgage loan financing. Without questioning the expenditure cut, the Parliament passed the bill on to the final discussion yesterday. Specifically, the allocation to air pollution reduction actions was cut by MNT 80 billion. The proposed amount of the draft was MNT 85 billion; thus, the financing for air pollution reduction action is currently lower than this year’s allocation of MNT 16 billion. Furthermore, another MNT 15 billion was reduced from the initial amount of MNT 115 billion. The budget cut will be spent on 14 projects and programs to be implemented in 2019. On the contrary, the committee did not approve the budget cut of Local Development Fund by MNT 27 billion from MNT 144 billion and increasing child money incentives by MNT 27 billion planned for supporting mortgage program.

Nationwide fuel reserves stand at 33 days of average consumption www.zgm.mn

Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry held its monthly press conference “Transparent and Responsible Mining” yesterday. The ministry reported that the oil products import grew by USD 224.8 million year over year (yoy) in September. In the first nine months of this year, gross industrial production reached MNT 11.2 trillion, a 18.8 percent growth yoy. The growth was driven by 16.9 percent increase of mining sector production, which totalled MNT 8.1 trillion in the same period and accounts for 72.1 percent of gross industrial production. As of October 22, 2018, an total of 3,163 valid mineral exploration and mining licenses are registered throughout the country. Ownership change of mining licenses in September and October of 2018:

Saudi Arabia to invest in Russian-Chinese wealth fund www.rt.com

Riyadh is planning to provide major investments into the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) with the fund expected to be renamed, according to the head of RDIF, Kirill Dmitriev.
“In the near future, we will announce that Saudi Arabia is investing in RCIF and the fund will be renamed as the Russian-Chinese-Saudi Fund,” Dmitriev said at the Future Investment Initiative (FII), Saudi Arabia’s international investment forum.

What sanctions? US, Japan & India join new Russian LNG project www.rt.com

Russia’s energy major Rosneft will build a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in partnership with US ExxonMobil, Japan's SODECO and India's ONGC Videsh, Reuters reports.

China cutting rare earth output, unnerving global manufacturers www.mining.com

The Chinese government is limiting domestic production of rare earth minerals in the second half of the year, a move likely to crimp international exports and send prices for the critical materials soaring, according to data from Adamas Intelligence.

China is by far the world's largest producer and consumer of rare earths, a group of 17 elements used to make electric vehicles and consumer electronics. The move is already forcing manufacturers to scour the globe for alternative supplies.The U.S. military is worried about China's dominance of the rare earths market, calling it a "significant and growing risk," according to a Pentagon study released earlier this month.

For the second half of 2018, China's quota for rare earth separation and smelting has been cut 36 percent, an attempt to better control the market, according to Adamas, a research firm that closely tracks the rare earths industry.

China's decision to limit domestic rare earth production to 45,000 tonnes for the second half of 2018 – the lowest in more than five years – provides only enough supply for China's domestic buyers, according to Adamas.

The semi-annual quota had risen to 70,000 tonnes in the first half of 2018, 40 percent higher than the first half of 2017. But that move was largely seen by analysts and electronics manufacturers as a step to legitimize black market production, with Chinese manufacturing consuming most of that supply.

While China is likely to attend to its own needs before exporting, increased exports would require the country to draw on already-low inventories of neodymium (Nd), prasesodymium (Pr) and dysprosium (Dy), used in electric vehicle motors, said Ryan Castilloux of Adamas.

Prices for one key rare earth mineral, PrNd Oxide, could increase by 10 percent to 50 percent within the next 12 months, and is on track to double in price within next five years as demand outpaces supply, Castilloux said.

Chinese exports typically supply around 80 percent of the globe's rare earth needs, about 156,000 tonnes annually. Still, exports tend to oscillate wildly from month to month.In September, for example, rare earth exports jumped 15 percent from August levels, despite slipping earlier in the year, according to Chinese government data.

The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources did not respond to faxed requests for comment.

China's export reticence and market dominance has spooked manufacturers, including Japanese electronics maker Panasonic Corp, which said it is moving to find fresh supply.

"We have been diversifying our procurement channels, building partnerships with our suppliers and working to reduce the use of rare earths," Panasonic said in a statement to Reuters.

Australia's Lynas Corp is the only significant producer of rare earths outside of China through its processing plant in Malaysia. But last month a Malaysian politician said that plant should be closed, denting the company's stock and further unnerving the rare earths market.

Research into rare earth alternatives has come up largely empty, leaving manufacturers beholden to the specialized minerals just as demand for batteries for electric vehicles and other products that use the materials is soaring.

A typical Toyota Prius, for example, uses 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of rare earths, compared to 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs) in a typical combustion-engine vehicle.

(By Barbara Lewis, Ernest Scheyder, Makiko Yamazaki, Tom Daly and Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

Bayan-Ulgii aimag to export livestock by-products to Iran www.montsame.mn

‘Zerger International’ LLC of Bayan-Ulgii aimag is to export livestock by-products including head and five internal organs to the Islamic Republic of Iran from next month.

Precious metal assay laboratories receive first gold www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ As reported by the Bank of Mongolia (BoM), the newly established precious metal assay laboratories of Darkhan-Uul and Bayankhongor aimags have received 15.5 kg and 2.9 kg gold respectively.

Mongolia offers win-win deals for investors www.zgm.mn

During the World Investment Forum, President Battulga Khaltmaa addressed Mongolia’s efforts in improving investment climate and developing win-win investment agreements. President remarked, “We are in the middle of formulating an integrated investment policy in strict conformity with Sustainable Development Goals. The new policy will help enhance the structure of the relevant authorities and their coordination, and increase the effectiveness of investment.” He highlighted that Mongolia has learnt lessons from this bitter experience and given it special attention at all levels of government by taking step-by-step targeted measures at both national and international levels. “To illustrate, Mongolia established an Investor Protection Council and a Public-Private Consultative Committee mandated to improve the legal environment for investment, promptly resolve complaints and grievances related to bureaucracy and illegal actions and take precautions against any risks,” noted President Battulga and added, “We also focused on developing a win-win investment agreement that ensures our country’s interests on an equal footing by formulating a benchmark bilateral investment agreement in accordance with the recommendations made by UNCTAD.”

Mongolia ranked 53rd out of 126 economies in the 2018 Global Innovation Index
Mentioning that the summit should come up with ways to increase the effectiveness and quality of investment and to modify investment protection mechanisms, President pointed out that Mongolia has set to develop renewable energy and tourism along with agriculture. On this regard, President stressed “Mongolia has proposed “Northeast Asian Energy Super Grid” initiative designed to supply electricity to Northeast Asian countries using Mongolia’s potential to produce renewables such as solar and wind energy. We invite you to work together with us in these sectors and make investments that will introduce new eco-friendly technologies.”

President clarifies patent acquisition of low-emission stoves

On the sidelines, President Battulga met with Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Umberto de Pretto Secretary-General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU). Highlighting the distribution of low-emission stoves in Mongolia in recent years and the current discussion on distributing smoke-filtering stovepipes, President expressed his wish to know whether if patent rights had been already granted to similar products during his meeting with WIPO and inquired information related to Mongolia. Mr. Francis Gurry informed that Mongolia was ranked 53rd in the 2018 Global Innovation Index. As for meeting with the IRU, the President disclosed the nearing completion of construction works to connect Mongolia’s capital city Ulaanbaatar with capitals of all 21 provinces which has yielded a number of positive outcomes, including shortened transport duration and promotion of tourism sector. He then discussed opportunities for cooperation, including a plan to construct a highway connecting Altanbulag, Selenge Aimag, with Zamiin-Uud, Dornogobi Aimag, while mentioning that the project is open to investment from third countries.