Mongolia Projects Budget Surplus, Citing Strong Performance by "Erdenes Tavantolgoi"
Politics
Ulaanbaatar, October 6, 2025 /MONTSAME/. On October 4, 2025, Prime Minister of Mongolia Zandanshatar Gombojav visited the "Erdenes Tavantolgoi” (ETT) company. A new mine has been commissioned at the Tsankhi section of the company, enabling the sale of high-quality coking coal at international market prices.
To revive the economy,
increase coal transportation, exports, and sales, and ensure implementation of
the Law on the National Wealth Fund, the Government of Mongolia imposed a
three-month special regime at “Erdenes Tavantolgoi” JSC starting July 9, 2025.
A team of Special Plenipotentiary Representatives was appointed to carry out
this task, with the goals of improving governance, management, discipline,
accountability, and eliminating conflicts of interest.
Byambasuren Urgamal, Head of
the Government’s Special Representatives’ Team at Erdenes Tavantolgoi and
Deputy Chief of the Cabinet Secretariat, presented the outcomes achieved during
the special regime period. Key accomplishments include:
- Resumption of previously
suspended coal exchange trading, conducting 75 trades and selling 5.8 million
tons of coal, generating USD 513.8 million in revenue;
- Resolution of contract
bottlenecks, increasing monthly coal transport from 1.7 million to 2.8 million
tons — a 1.6-fold rise;
- Improvement in equipment
readiness from 56% to 81%;
- Introduction of a Dashboard
system enabling real-time monitoring of mining and transportation;
- Development of a mid-term
strategy (2026–2029) through government–company collaboration;
- Commissioning of a new mine at
the Tsankhi section, allowing a high-quality 1/3 coking coal to be sold at
international prices,
- A 40 percent increase in unit
product economic efficiency.
Coal export of “Erdenes
Tavantolgoi” this September marks the highest monthly export in the company’s
history. The company exported 3.2 million tons of coal in September 2025, through
Gashuunsukhait and Khangi border ports, while in August the company exported
2.7 million tons of coal.
During the special regime
period, the team was tasked with accelerating national economic growth,
increasing foreign exchange reserves, ensuring implementation of the National
Wealth Fund Law, improving coordination across sectors, streamlining coal transportation,
loading, and border-crossing processes, preventing potential risks, and
strengthening the company’s management, control, discipline, and
accountability. They were also instructed to address operational issues
promptly.
Prime Minister Zandanshatar emphasized
that the Special Plenipotentiary Representatives successfully fulfilled the Government’s
directives and played a key role in stabilizing the economy, boosting foreign
reserves, and restoring normal operations at “Erdenes Tavantolgoi.” He expressed his gratitude to the
team and the company’s staff for delivering tangible results. The continuation
of the representatives’ mandate will be decided in a forthcoming Cabinet
meeting.
The Prime Minister also noted
that “Erdenes Tavantolgoi” played a vital role in contributing to Mongolia’s
5.7 percent economic growth. The Premier highlighted that coal trading and
sales will increase further in October, November, and December, which will
raise budget revenues and lead to a budget surplus.
Looking ahead, PM Zandanshatar stressed the need to reduce company expenditures, enhance efficiency and productivity, adopt technological solutions to ensure transparency in procurement and contracts, transform “Erdenes Tavantolgoi” into an open joint-stock company with public participation, and implement the National Wealth Fund Law by increasing company valuation and stock value.