Coal export restarts after brief halt

The border with China has been reopened on May 4 after a closure caused by a coal truck driver who tested positive for COVID-19 on April 30.

The Chinese border authorities blockaded the border, halting Mongolian exports of coal and iron concentrates at the Gashuunsukhait border checkpoint after a Mongolian driver "failed" a COVID-19 spot test at Gantsmod crossing on April 30.

“We can’t give specific information about the situation at Gashuunsukhait border checkpoint at the moment. (China) stopped allowing coal trucks to cross over since May 1. When the Chinese side took repeat testing from truck drivers, one driver tested positive. At the moment, the Mongolian side hasn’t received final test results yet.”

A day prior to the disruption, 97 coal trucks, 25 cargo trucks and 16 iron concentrate trucks passed through the border.

The Mongolian side has set up a professional working group to review the situation at Gashuunsukhait.

“A working group is working to get the Chinese side to resume coal export. We’ve just arrived in Umnugovi Province. Since the border has been closed, coal shipping has stopped. Drivers are being administered their first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines. They’re getting PCR tests before getting vaccinated,” stated B.Elbegzaya, head of the Policy Implementation and Coordination Department of the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry.

The ministry is working to vaccinate 3,000 drivers and as of Monday, over 900 were tested for COVID-19. On May 1 and 2, the Umnugovi Province Emergency Commission tested 3,000 people living in Khairkhan bag, Khanbogd soum. The authority plans to vaccinate all remaining residents.