President Says Mongolia Should Get More Control of Mine – by Michael Kohn & Yuriy Humber (Bloomberg.com – February 5, 2013)

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Mongolia’s President Tsakhia Elbegdorj said the nation should have more control of Rio Tinto Group (RIO)’s Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold project after the government said costs had increased.

The total cost of the Rio Tinto-operated development in southern Mongolia has jumped to $24.4 billion, according to an e-mailed statement from the government, which gave a summary of a Feb. 1 parliamentary discussion attended by the president. London-based Rio had earlier estimated total costs at $14.6 billion, according to the statement.

“It’s time for Mongolia to have Mongolian representation on the management team,” Elbegdorj said at the session on Feb. 1, according to his website. “It’s important that the government takes the Oyu Tolgoi matter into its own hands.”

The president’s comments heighten tension with the second- biggest mining company over the ownership and future development of the project, which is currently the world’s biggest copper mine under construction. Rio is considering a temporary halt to work to protest government demands for a greater share of profit, two people familiar with the plans said last week.

“We continue to work together with all stakeholders, including the government of Mongolia, to bring the benefits of Oyu Tolgoi to all parties,” Rio Tinto said today in an e-mailed response to questions. “We are now focused on first commercial production. We are on schedule to deliver that in the first half of this year.”

Respect Agreement

David Luff, a Melbourne-based spokesman for Rio Tinto, wasn’t able to comment on the cost overrun raised by the Mongolian government.

Mongolia also needs representation “in all the most important decision-making departments: financial department, procurement department, legal department, sales and project- services department,” said Elbegdorj. The country had to wait for “months” for Rio to respond to questions on the project, he said.

In December, the president urged Mongolia’s government to respect the Oyu Tolgoi agreement, according to a Jan. 25 report by Ulan Bator-based broker BDSec, which cited a Dec. 26 interview with Elbegdorj on state television.

Cost Increases

“The current rhetoric is accentuated by the upcoming presidential election,” slated for the end of June, Eric Zurrin, director general at Resource Investment Capital Ltd., a corporate finance adviser in Ulan Bator, said by e-mail today. “I doubt Rio would endanger the startup of OT following first production last week, nor its future economic interests, by entering into games of brinkmanship with the Mongolian government. I think cooler heads will work out a solution for both ends, Mongolian and foreigner.”

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