The SAM Project has signed a multi-faceted cooperation agreement with governors in nine aimags - Bayankhongor, Khentii, Uvs, Khovd, Bayan-Ulgii, Govi-Altai and Umnugovi.

The agreement covers training on ASM formalisation, legal issues and the rehabilitation of land, the stabilisation of artisanal mining councils’ operations, improvements to public service delivery for artisanal miners, research on local ASM good practices, the publicising of information relevant to artisanal miners, advocacy for Citizens’ Representative Khurals and aimag and soum governors’ decisions, and the uploading of aimag information to the ASM knowledge hub platform.

N. Erdene-Ochir, Head of Dundgovi aimag’s Investment and Development Policy Planning Department, said: “Since 2012, there have been about 900 artisanal miners operating in 80 ASM partnerships. They’re mining fluorspar in Ulziit, Khuld, Luus and Bayanjargalan soums and selling it to the appointed representative of the Citizens’ Representative Khural at a cheaper rate that the market price, and 108 miners in Ulziit soum operating in the mines.

“In Luus soum, there are 110 artisanal miners in 22 partnerships; however, operations have not yet begun due to the uncertainty of the mine deposit. More than 40 artisanal miners work at six mine sites provided by the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority in Bayanjargalan soum. Resolution #28 of the aimag Citizens' Representative Khural allocated 4.8 ha of land for artisanal mining at the Khukh Del-1 deposit in Airag soum, and 4.9 ha at the Khukh Del-2 deposit in Bayanjargalan soum. We are pleased to continue our cooperation with the SAM Project this year.