THE ramp-up to annual production of 1.5 million tonnes of coking coal production was expected to be completed by TerraCom Limited by the end of 2015 at Baruun Noyon Uul (BNU) mine in the South Gobi region. Until recently TerraCom was known as Guildford Coal with the name change forming part of a strategic review of the ASX-listed company.

Erdene Resource Development Corp reports high-grade gold intersections from the recently completed, maiden drill program at its wholly-owned Bayan Khundii Gold Project in southwest Mongolia.

Mine production during the September quarter at Turquoise Hill Resources Oyu Tolgoi Copper-Gold Project in southern Mongolia was at record levels while concentrate produced and contained copper were on par with the previous quarter despite a shutdown of the concentrator in July.

ERDENET Mining Corp (EMC) has commissioned a plant expansion at its Erdenet Copper Project in northern Mongolia that will increase the output of copper concentrates by more than 20%. A statement on the President of Mongolia’s website said that annual copper output would increase from about 119,000 tonnes to about 145,000 tonnes while copper concentrate production will increase by 113,000 tonnes to almost 630,000 tonnes.

EXPLORER Kincora Copper is well positioned to benefit from an improvement in relations between the mining industry and authorities in Mongolia, according to Mongolian Investment Banking Group (MIBG). This statement was made by MIBG in an updated research note on the company.

DRILLING by Xanadu Mines at the Kharmagtai Copper-Gold Project has returned the highest grade copper mineralization discovered to date within the project. One hole intersected a significant zone of 50 metres of very high-grade breccia hosted massive sulphide mineralization within a broad zone of more than 415 metres of porphyry-related mineralization.

HARANGA Resources’ 80%-owned subsidiary Haranga Khuder LLC, which holds mineral exploration licences and a pre-mining operations agreement for the Selenge Iron Ore Project, has been granted a mining licence. The Mineral Resources Authority of Mongolia has granted the licence for an area covering 3480.7 hectares.

PROPHECY Development Corp, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Red Hill Mongolia, has sold substantially all of its mining and transportation equipment from the company’s Ulaan Ovoo coal mine and received approximately US$2.34 million. The buyer chose not to purchase a few pieces of equipment which accounts for the difference of approximately $60,000 between the proceeds and the original contract value.

The Oyu Tolgoi Copper-Gold Project in southern Mongolia set new records for concentrate production and throughput during the second quarter of 2015. Copper and gold in concentrates increased 64.6% and 176.7% respectively from the previous quarter.

ERDENE Resource Development Corp has raised Can$1.5 million in an oversubscribed, non-brokered financing. The original proposed financing was to sell almost 7.143 million units for gross proceeds of up to $1 million but this was increased to more than 10.714 million units.

ASPIRE Mining has raised Aus$4.396 million in a capital raising priced at 2 cents with a one for two free attaching option with an exercise price of 3 cents and a two-year term. The placement resulted in substantial shareholder Spectral Investments Pty Ltd ATF The Lithgow Family Trust increasing its interest in Aspire from 12.42% to 19.45%.

GUILDFORD Coal has acquired 100% of the equity in Enkhtunkh Orchlon LLC (EO) from Noble Resources International. EO owns the prospective 12600 exploration licence and associated mining licence application adjacent to Guildford’s Baruun Noyon Uul (BNU) coking coal mine.

INDIA has announced a credit line of US$1 billion to Mongolia to expand its economic capacity and infrastructure. This forms part of a decision to upgrade the relationship between the two countries from Comprehensive to Strategic Partnership.

SIGNING of the OT underground mine development and financing plan has attracted favourable comments from mining commentators and companies with exploration projects in Mongolia.

DEVELOPMENT of the underground mine at Oyu Tolgoi (OT) Copper-Gold Project in Mongolia took a significant step forward in May with the signing of the OT Underground Mine Development and Financing Plan by the Government of Mongolia, Turquoise Hill Resources and Rio Tinto. The phase two plan addresses the key outstanding shareholder issues and sets out an agreed basis for project funding.

Denison Mines Corp has signed a definitive share purchase agreement with Czech Republic company Uranium Industry a.s. for the sale of its interest in the Gurvan Saihan Joint Venture (GSJV) in Mongolia for US$20 million.

The Ekhgoviin Chuluu Joint Venture (ECJV) between Aspire Mining and Noble Group has commenced its 2015 exploration program at the Nuurstei Coking Coal Project in northern Mongolia.

Erdene Resource Development Corp has amended its option agreement with Tian Poh Resources Limited covering the Zuun Mod mining licence in southwest Mongolia. Tian Poh has been granted a 6-month extension to December 9 to exercise its option to acquire an interest in the property.

On June 30, 2015, SouthGobi Resources was served with a Notice of Civil Claim filed by the company’s former president and chief executive officer, Alexander Molyneux, in the British Columbia Supreme Court. The claim relates to alleged breaches of his employment agreement by the company.

Khan Resources is pleased with a statement by Mongolia’s Prime Minister Saikanbileg that the government will comply with March 2, 2015 international arbitration award in favour of Khan. The company however, has not yet received any direct communication from Mongolia on this matter.