The Mongolia-Russia joint Erdenet Mining Corporation (EMC) has opened an expansion to its 26 million tonnes per year capacity ore-processing plant. The expansion is adding some six million ton capacity to the above plant, while increasing the copper-concentrate production of EMC from 530 thousand to 643 thousand tonnes.
As a result, the yield from the copper mining to Mongolia’s economy is expected to increase by 73 billion Togrog or 38 million US dollars.
President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj, who started his working years as a mechanic at EMC, attended the opening of the plant expansion in person on June 20. It vividly manifests the importance of the copper miner for Mongolia.
President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj:
“When I worked here, copper ores were added to the cells through four lines, which now have two additional lines thanks to the expansion. Crushing mill has also been equipped with the latest technology. Erdenet mine has not undergone complete discovery. Huge amounts of reserves can still be found in the underground”.
According to the EMC director Ts.Davaatseren, construction and industry companies from Russia and China, as well as local entities of Orkhon aimag, in collaboration with EMC, have built and commissioned the plant expansion in less than a year.
EMC makes annual profit worth 1.3 trillion Togrog, which will be increased by some 250 billion Togrog with the new expansion.
EMC had annual production capacity of 16 million tonnes of copper and molybdenum ores, when it was commissioned in 1978. The Erdenet plant has been consistently taking measures for upgrading its technologies and improving the performance and efficiency. As of 2014, EMC processed 26 million tonnes of copper ore, which indicated 1.6 times increase in annual capacity.