Sharyn Gol has successfully commissioned its new coal wash plant, which is located next to its producing coal mine in Sharyn Gol city, Darkhan province, Mongolia. The plant, which has the capacity to wash 600,000 t/y of raw coal, enables Sharyn Gol to produce an export grade coal, as well as a premium coal product for the domestic industrial market. The company says it “is Mongolia’s second operating coal wash plant and the only coal wash plant that has the potential to supply the domestic market. The investment in the wash plant reflects Sharyn Gol’s commitment to solutions for the production of environmentally friendly, value-added coal products.”
Sharyn Gol’s Chairman, Batmunkh B., stated, “This investment by Sharyn Gol is consistent with the Mongolian government’s policy of encouraging Mongolian mining companies to invest in mineral processing technology. The wash plant opens a new chapter in the history of Sharyn Gol, which is celebrating its 50th year of operations.”
Sharyn Gol has also executed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mongol Sammok Logistics, which is a joint venture between the Mongolian state and Sammok Shipping Co of South Korea. The signing ceremony took place at the Mongol Business Summit.
Under the terms of the agreement, both parties have agreed to cooperate to export Sharyn Gol’s washed coal to the South Korean market. It is intended to transport the coal through Russia via rail to Rajin port in Rason Free Economic Zone, North Korea, after which it will be loaded onto a vessel and delivered into the South Korean market. The parties anticipate beginning with a 25,000 t trial shipment and will expand the export operations after the successful completion of the trial shipment.
James Passin, Sharyn Gol Director and representative of Firebird Management, the New York-based investment fund that holds a controlling stake in Sharyn Gol, stated, “We are honoured to play a role in pioneering a new export route for Mongolian mineral exporters. We believe that Sharyn Gol is well positioned to expand its coal washing and export capacity in the future.”
Sharyn Gol is located 215 km north of Ulaanbaatar and 45 km southeast of the city of Darkhan on Mongolia’s main national rail line.