Some journalists from national media including Mongolian National Television, TV-5, and Zuunii Medee and Ulaanbaatar newspapers have visited the project sites, Jargalant and Bumbugur soum of Bayankhongor aimag as well as Bornuur Soum of Tov aimag on 10-16 August. 2009. In the last decade there has been a lot of negative information and bad impressions of artisanal miners, also known as ‘ninjas’ aired/delivered on Mongolian national media. For example, the ninjas have and still do illegally act for their own benefits having caused serious environmental damages, crimes and disorder in the society.  They were blamed because of their illegal and unregulated actions in the past. However, artisanal miners in the Soums mentioned above have demonstrated that they are responsible members of their communities and that they are accountable for their actions through sharing about their current practices on ground.

There are about 500 individuals of 117 families working in Baruun and Zuun Salaa of Buurigiin Am in Jargalant Soum.  They are organized into partnerships and have made contracts with the Soum Governor.  Being provided with support from the Soum government as well as having clear responsibilities, the artisanal miners from over 40 partnerships in the area are very happy to share that they have become small scale miners, who are provided with employment opportunities and accountabilities.  They have access to social and health insurance and services and pay their income taxes.  The Soum Governor informed us that the artisanal miners from the Soum contributed MNT 1.200.000 to the Soum budget as of end of first half of 2009.

Since the artisanal miners have been organized into partnerships, they are more able to solve different social and environmental issues in collaboration with the Aimag/Soum authortites and officials. For instance, partnerships are issued with areas for gold extraction within the land allocated by the Soum government.  They follow occupational safety rules and internal supervision of the partnerships to prevent disorderly behaviours such as alhocolism and other crimes. As a result, the partnership members are able to carry out their operations in safer conditions and minimise any negative consequences.

Artisanal miners from Jargalant and Bumbugur soums have started technical rehabilitation/ filling back the holes in mined out areas.  For instance, artisanal miners from Jargalant rehabilitated a total of 1.3 ha spread over five pieces of land and artisanal miners from Bumbugur/Builsan started some rehabilitation work on 1 ha.  Additionally, partnership members in Jargalant soum protect upper sides of natural springs, where artisanal miners collect their drinking water, at their own expense.  SAM project sourced and purchased small sized tractors for rehabilitation at the ASM sites.

A large mining company “JUMP” running in Jargalant soum has agreed to cooperate with artisanal miners and the soum government. The company will allocate 3.2 ha from its licensed area to ASM partnerships under a contract.  Moreover, the company assisted ASM partnerships in re-filling of holes and phsyical rehabilitation with its machines.

Having being acquainted with these practices of ASM partnerships in the Soums, the press people are impressed very much and express their willingness to raise public awareness on these practices that are rarely found in artisanal mining sites in other parts of the country.

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