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coal mines in the "last frontier" economy is expected to triple by 2020, but will compete with the nomads over scarce resources

After traveling for 16 hours under blue skies penetration south of Mongolia, the Gobi, the first for the new mega-mines in the world looks strangely like a desert on fire.

Black

vague clouds of dust over the horizon of Tavan Tolgoi in the pit, where a swarm of bulldozers and excavators cut the claws 70 meters deep in the mountains of yellow.

this site - thought to be the largest deposit of coking coal in the world -. Is reprimanded and removed from China by an endless line of trucks that roar through the plains in a convoy of powder

Until recently, this region of southern Mongolia was one of the last wilderness areas of the world's largest - a cold desert that is home to the gazelle, wild ass and herders who live a nomadic existence Traditional

Today, however, is the center of the growth of the largest planet of resources. Some call it "the last frontier," other "Minegolia," Whatever the name, this impoverished nation, but notable in East Asia is on the verge of one of the most dramatic transformations in history human.

Well open your Tevan Tolgoi is just the beginning. 6 billion tons of coal are its part developed by a local mining company. Withdrawal rights will be auctioned off to foreign bidders, is likely to include China Shenhua, Peabody of the U.S. and a Russian consortium. He who does the digging, the ultimate purchaser of fuel is likely that China, which accounts for 85% of exports of Mongolia.

mega-mines

others will follow. Extraction is expected to triple by 2020 the national economy and improve living standards of the population of small and impoverished 2.6 million dollars for the global middle class, but people also fear that a devastating environmental dry like mine suck scarce water resources, damage to the meadows and roads and power grids need to change the migration patterns of local species.

The damage is already evident in the traffic across the Gobi Desert, where motorists waving so much dust that some use their lights in the middle of the day to pierce the darkness.

"Every day, off-road use 2000 100 ton trucks. There is so much dust in the air, it seems that the war is going, "said Enkhbat, co-president of Mongolia, the Green Party, which fears that unregulated development of South Gobi could lead to an ecological disaster. "The government has a much broader plan to protect the environment and respect for local communities. It's not just the economy. These are human rights."

nomadic families in the area of ??the mine because of the wells have dried up, reducing the bars and dust clouds blackened lungs and stomach of animals.

"It makes us cough. Even coughing animals. There is so much dust that can not recognize what the animal is, "said Tsevedelger, a pastor of 60 years." Animals eat grass powder. Can humans eat poisoned animals. Soon it will be impossible for us to be here. "

The following line

supermini come Oyu Tolgoi, which is operated by Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto - a British multinational mining company. Once you begin operations in 2012, it expects to produce 450,000 tonnes of copper a year for half a century. The total production worth $ 200 billion at today's prices.

The transformative potential of the mining boom has been the subject of an international conference in the capital, Ulan Bator last month. Officials Program United National Development expressed the hope that Mongolia - a rare democracy in East Asia - could be an example in the extraction of transparency, environmentally sensitive resources that benefit all population

also concerned about the loom large, especially in regard to rights to use water. Oyu Tolgoi only intend to use 920 liters of water per second for the next 30 years.
Dolgor

Oyu Tolgoi operators who took the water surface, so far, that has become a competitor with the nomads over scarce resources. But next year, the mine will extract and process the salt water of a fossil aquifer 45 miles. Operators say it is not linked to any lakes or wells.
"It is very unlikely that there will be an impact, but will continue to monitor the situation closely," said Shea O'Neill, principal environmental advisor Oyu Tolgoi. The water is recycled the policy of zero discharge of the company. "We do almost everything we can. This is what to do and it's good for business. There are a lot of water in the Gobi Desert. It is a non-renewable resource and it is in everyone's interest to conserve water. If we do, we will go bankrupt. "

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