Mongolia

The planetGOLD Mongolia project completed its implementation in September 2025.

All resources published by planetGOLD Mongolia can be found here in the Resource library.

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planetGOLD MONGOLIA PROJECT CONCLUDES, DRIVING TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IN ARTISANAL GOLD MINING SECTOR

After six years, the planetGOLD Mongolia project officially concludes, marking a significant milestone in eliminating mercury use in Mongolia’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.

planetGOLD MONGOLIA PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE HOLDS FINAL MEETING

The final meeting of the planetGOLD Mongolia Project Steering Committee (PSC) was held on May 20, 2025, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

planetGOLD МОНГОЛ ТӨСЛИЙН УДИРДАХ ХОРООНЫ ХААЛТЫН ХУРАЛ БОЛОВ

planetGOLD Монгол төслийн Удирдах хорооны хаалтын хурал 2025 оны 5-р сарын 20-ны өдөр боллоо. Удирдах хорооны гишүүдийн зүгээс төслийн 2025 оны тайланг хангалттай гэж дүгнэж, төслийн үр дүнгийн тогтвортой байдлыг хангахад талууд чиг үүргийн хүрээнд төлөвлөгөө боловсруулан хэрэгжүүлэхийг зөвлөв.

planetGOLD МОНГОЛ ТӨСЛИЙН ОЛОЛТ АМЖИЛТААС ХУВААЛЦАЖ, ЦААШДЫН ТОГТВОРТОЙ БАЙДЛЫГ ХЭЛЭЛЦЭВ

Төслийн хаалтын арга хэмжээ 2025 оны 5-р сарын 20-ны өдөр Улаанбаатар хотод болж, холбогдох төрийн албан хаагчид, олон улсын хамтрагч байгууллага болон төслийн зорилтот аймгууд болох Говь-Алтай, Ховд, Сэлэнгэ аймгийн бичил уурхайчдын төлөөлөл бүхий 70 гаруй оролцогчид хуран чуулж, төслийн үр дүнг хэлэлцлээ.

planetGOLD MONGOLIA SHARES PROJECT SUCCESSES AND EXPLORES SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

The closing event, held on May 20, 2025, in Ulaanbaatar, brought together over 70 government officials, international development partners, artisanal miners and community leaders from the targeted provinces of Gobi-Altai, Khovd, and Selenge, to reflect on progress and chart the path ahead.

Meeting Held with Representatives of Artisanal Mining Partnerships and Savings and Credit Cooperative Working with the planetGOLD Mongolia Project

Representatives from the UNEP, the lead implementing agency of the planetGOLD Mongolia project, and the AGC, the project’s executing agency, met with members of the “Shijir Khishig” and “Tunkhel Manlai” partnerships, as well as the “Baatar Vangiin Khishig Arvijikh” SCC in Mandal soum and Tunkhel village of Selenge province.

Making Mercury History: planetGOLD Mongolia Project Outcomes

To address the human health and environmental issues caused by the illegal use of mercury in ASGM—and to promote sustainable development opportunities—the planetGOLD Mongolia project has been implemented since 2019 under the planetGOLD programme.

Мөнгөн усгүй ирээдүйн төлөөх planetGOLD Монгол төслийн үр дүн

Алтны бичил уурхайд хууль бусаар хэрэглэгдэж буй мөнгөн уснаас үүдэлтэй хүний эрүүл мэнд, байгаль орчны асуудлууд, түүний сөрөг үр нөлөөг бууруулах, тогтвортой хөгжлийн боломжоор хангах зорилгоор Даян дэлхийн байгаль орчны сангийн санхүүжилтээр Нэгдсэн Үндэстний Байгууллагын Байгаль орчны хөтөлбөр болон Нэгдсэн Үндэстний Байгууллагын Аж үйлдвэр хөгжлийн байгууллага хамтран planetGOLD хөтөлбөрийн хүрээнд planetGOLD Монгол төслийг 2019-2025 онд Монгол Улсад хэрэгжүүллээ.

Journey of Nyamaa and His Friends Towards Formalization

Nyamaa is a 25-year-old artisanal miner from Mongolia. He has a beautiful wife, who is pregnant with their first child together. Nyamaa started by helping his parents with artisanal mining, also known as “ninja mining”, back when he was just 16 years old, by grinding the ore or carrying sacks of ore from one spot to the other. This was the only way he knew of earning a decent income.

Нямаа болон түүний нөхдийн бичил уурхайн албажуулалтын төлөөх замнал

Нямаа бол бичил уурхайчин залуу. Түүний үзэсгэлэнт эхнэр ууган хүүхдийг нь тээж байгаа учир Нямаа туйлын аз жаргалтай байгаа. Тэрээр анх 16-хан насандаа аав ээждээ бичил уурхайгаар алт олборлоход нь тусалж тухайн үеийн хэллэгээр “нинжа” хийж эхэлсэн байна.

Explore the planetGOLD Mongolia's final newsletter

As the planetGOLD Mongolia project reaches to a closure, we take this moment to reflect on a journey defined by partnership, perseverance, and shared purpose. Over the past six years, we have worked together to advance mercury-free technologies, strengthen policies, empower miners, and protect both people and the environment.

planetGOLD Монгол төслийн цахим товхимлын сүүлийн дугаар

planetGOLD Монгол төсөл амжилттай хэрэгжиж дуусаж буй энэ мөчид бид бүхий л хамтрагч талууддаа талархлаа илэрхийлж байна. Сүүлийн зургаан жилийн хугацаанд бид мөнгөн усгүй технологийг нэвтрүүлэх, бодлогын орчныг бэхжүүлэх, бичил уурхайчдыг чадавхжуулах, байгаль орчныг хамгаалах үйлсэд хамтдаа хүчин зүтгэлээ.

Sparsely populated but rich in minerals, Mongolia is among the world’s most dependent countries on natural resource extraction. Over the last 30 years as Mongolians have transitioned away from a centrally planned economy to a market oriented economy, the mining sector has become a significant driver of the country’s economy and wealth—accounting for 80 percent of Mongolian exports and over 70 percent of foreign investment in the country.

planetGOLD project sites in Mongolia

In addition to herding and livestock production, mining is also a significant source of livelihoods in rural areas. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) takes place in most provinces in the country, employing 40,000-60,000 people. A third of these individuals are women, and it is estimated that ASGM indirectly supports another 120,000–180,000 people.

Despite legislative efforts to formalize and regulate the ASGM sector and banning the use of mercury, the sector is still largely informal and clandestine use of mercury continues to exist. In order to make the sector sustainable and mercury-free, however, more needs to be done to speed up and reinforce existing efforts to support formalization, financing options, technology enhancement, and information dissemination.

Key Figures from Mongolia

12-20% of the rural labor force works in ASGM

30% of the country's total revenue is generated by mining

14 out of 21 provinces have ASGM operations

16% of the ASGM sector has been formalized

Mongolia’s Approach

The planetGOLD Mongolia project worked toward eliminating mercury in the ASGM sector by using a bottom-up approach, involving members of the ASGM sector directly in the creation and implementation of policies and practices to sustainably improve mining operations and livelihoods. In partnership with the national government, the project team aimed to create an enabling environment for a formalized ASGM sector that enhances community development, improves productivity, and eliminates the use of mercury.

Key Strategies

Support formalization of the ASGM sector	Reduce mercury releases in mining communities
Educate and raise awareness	Help miners access financing and international gold markets