Mongolia Sets November Deadline for Erdenet Smelter Talks; Planned Cathode Capacity at 124,000 Tonnes a Year
Mongolia’s government said on October 11 that Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Uchral had called for faster progress on the copper smelting and refining project based at Erdenet Mining Corporation, with contract negotiations to be completed by the end of November 2026. The proposed US$772 million facility is designed to process 560,000 tonnes of copper concentrate and produce 124,000 tonnes of cathode copper annually. China’s NFC has been selected as the strategic investor, with financing, ownership and construction contract terms still under negotiation. The feasibility study, detailed environmental impact assessment and related technical documents have been approved. Approximately US$68 million has been invested in infrastructure for the industrial and technology park, with the first phase in service and the remaining infrastructure scheduled for completion in 2027. No commissioning date has been announced for the smelter itself. The project would expand domestic processing of Erdenet’s copper concentrate, with contract completion, financing and construction progress remaining key milestones.
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