STRENGTHENING TIES: AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES AT MONGOLIA MINING 2024

The annual MONGOLIA MINING 2024 International Mining Exhibition, one of the premier events in Mongolia’s mining industry, was held from October 8th to 10th at the Buyant-Ukhaa Sports Palace in Ulaanbaatar. This year's exhibition attracted hundreds of exhibitors and industry leaders from around the world, showcasing the latest technologies, innovations, and solutions in the mining sector.

H.E Ms. Katie Smith,

Australian Ambassador to Mongolia

I am pleased to see strong Australian participation at MiningWeek & MinePro 2024, highlighted by a national stand at the Mining Mongolia International Expo 2024. Our stand showcased Australia’s capabilities and introduced new companies dedicated to sustainable mining practices.

This important tradeshow promotes business-to-business connections and reflects Mongolia’s commitment to sustainable mining and excellence.

It was gratifying to witness broad attendance from key mining regions, including Australia. Both countries are rich in mineral resources, presenting excellent opportunities for collaboration.

Australia acknowledges mining's vital role in economic development, providing direct and indirect employment, education, and social growth. Mining has long been integral to our economy, accounting for 10% of jobs, 70% of exports, and about 15% of GDP.

Like Mongolia, Australia faces challenges such as logistics over vast distances, climate change, and water scarcity. We prioritize social and environmental protections and have established strong safety standards.

Our legal framework and tax systems are continually improved to foster investor confidence. These reforms ensure certainty for foreign investors, who are crucial for developing our industries by bringing in essential capital, technology, and access to global export markets.

Many Australian companies are not only developing Mongolia’s mines but also enhancing human capability by introducing innovative technologies, developing skills, and providing digital solutions and state-of-the-art equipment.

I am confident that the relationship between Australia and Mongolia will continue to flourish in the future.

Xcalibur Smart Mapping

Matt Blomfield  \Business Development\

Xcalibur Smart Mapping is a Spanish company, with operations in Australia overseeing exploration across the Asia-Pacific. In Mongolia, we’re using advanced technologies such as Helitem - our helicopter electromagnetic systems, Falcon, our Airborne Gravity Gradiometer system, and Tempest, our fixed-wing electromagnetic system, the latter currently deployed in Umnugobi province for a large-scale survey for the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry. This data aims to reduce risks, costs, and exploration time, encouraging investment in Mongolia’s exploration industry.

Challenges in Mongolia, such as equipment logistics and navigating local regulations, are similar to those faced worldwide. However, after 12 months of operation, we have gained a better understanding of local requirements, and the project is progressing well.

Our smart mapping techniques allow us to map subsurface characteristics like conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, and density changes. This data helps identify areas with mineral potential, those better suited for preservation, and underground water resources, aiding the government in land use planning.

This technique has been widely used globally, notably by Geoscience Australia and the US Geological Survey (USGS). Its advantage lies in visualizing the subsurface, reducing exploration risks, and speeding up the process, enabling companies to allocate resources more efficiently.

Bus 4x4 Group

Phill Hargreaves \Executive Chair/CEO\

Bus 4x4 Group provides on-site transport solutions for remote communities and the mining industry, helping move people to challenging locations.

Our company recently entered Mongolia to explore mining industry opportunities after years of working with major mining companies in Australia. Our goal is to build relationships and introduce our products to the Mongolian market.

One challenge is finding local partners to convert two-wheel drive vehicles into four-wheel drives for mining. Mongolia presents great opportunities not only in mining but also in tourism, where off-road transport is essential.

Bus 4x4 is unique in converting small two-wheel drive minibuses into four-wheel drive vehicles, including ambulances and rescue vehicles for remote areas with tough terrain. This is our expertise.

Woomera Mining

Ralf Kriege \Chief Executive Officer\

Woomera Mining chose Mongolia for our mining operations after acquiring a project from Kincora with significant resource potential, particularly in copper and gold. Mongolia's underexplored porphyry belts offer excellent opportunities, as demonstrated by companies like Rio Tinto and Xanadu. While there is some molybdenum, our focus remains on copper and gold.

So far, there have been no issues with Mongolian laws or regulations, as permits have been obtained smoothly. The only minor challenge is the restriction on applying for additional land tenure, which is limited to predetermined tender packages.

Our company distinguishes itself through flexibility and quick action. After signing the earn – in agreement to the Bronze Fox project in August, we started drilling by October, mobilizing quickly and securing contractors. We are also working to convert the exploration license into a mining lease.

Looking ahead to the future, our company aims to expand its resource base, increase the value of other prospects, and move toward a scoping and feasibility study. We are also seeking additional opportunities to benefit both the company and our shareholders.

Cartledge Mining and Geotechnics

Tim Cartledge \Principal Consultant | Managing Director\

Cartledge Mining and Geotechnics is a mining consultancy specializing in mining technologies and techniques across the entire process, from pit to port, covering all commodities and mining methods, including underground mining, coal, metals, infrastructure, and tailings dams.

Our company started working in Mongolia when introduced to the sector through a Mongolian associate developing a geotechnical program for the Erdenet Mine. After nine months of collaboration, we see opportunities for further growth and contribution to geotechnical expertise in Mongolia.

Looking ahead, our company aims to expand its geotechnical consulting services, as Mongolia’s mining activities align well with their expertise. We also aim to educate and train the local workforce, focusing on improving safety, efficiency, and financial outcomes through better geotechnical systems, as formal education in the field is still lacking in Mongolia.

Orica Mongolia LLC

S. Mandakhbat \The Executive Director of Orica Mongolia LLC\

Orica, a global leader in mining and infrastructure solutions with 150 years of experience, operates in Mongolia with our flagship project at Oyu Tolgoi. Our company provides advanced products and services, including digital and automation solutions, mining chemicals, and safety management. Orica’s GroundProbe™ radars are used at Oyu Tolgoi for slope stability monitoring, and we aim to support Mongolia's mining sector by offering tailored solutions that optimize operational costs and meet ESG goals.

Safety is a core value at Orica, with standards that often exceed local regulations. We use advanced technologies like i-kon™ and WebGen™, the world’s first fully wireless initiation system. These innovations enhance safety by reducing risks like misfires and wire-related cut-offs. WebGen™ will soon be introduced in Mongolia, enabling safer operations in both open-cut and underground mines by eliminating wires and allowing pre-charging of blast holes.

A primary focus for mining companies is reducing operating costs amid volatile commodity prices to deliver shareholder value. Digital technology and automation play a crucial role in this effort. We recently established the Blasting Analytics Center of Excellence (BACoE) in Hyderabad, India, which supports Orica’s global customer projects. BACoE focuses on advancing digital blasting technologies and leveraging data analytics, machine learning, and real-time data to improve blasting performance, safety, and operational efficiency, while minimizing environmental impact.

Additionally, we have launched the first Orica Digital Solutions Centre in Asia, located at our Asia headquarters in Jakarta. This center will showcase our digital solutions, including:

- BlastIQ™: A secure cloud platform for managing and sharing blast-related information.

- FRAGTrack™ Gantry: A market-first solution for real-time oversized material detection in haul trucks.

- Integrated Extraction Simulator (IES): A simulator for assessing mine optimization scenarios.

- OREPRO™ 3D Predict: Software for modeling blast movement without hardware, enhancing design outcomes and grade control.

Orica’s initiative for Community Developments has been widely recognized by our customers and the communities that we work. Our focus for Community engagement is aimed mainly for contributing to the future generations: education, sports etc. We have invested in KB school #2 science subjects teaching and learning, KB development centre for children with disabilities, Khurmen School English language linguistic cabinet, Bagakhangai marathon etc. We are grateful these contributions have been recognised by relevant communities awarding us as best company with social responsibility and so on.