Water in Mongolia: Sources, uses and issues, with special emphasis on mining

Abstract

Mongolia is a land locked country, with two powerful neighbors, Russia and China. Mongolia still has adequate water resources for its population. Waters from the Khangai and Khentii mountains are the source for a majority of the water runoff from the country. Despite sufficient water, a generic population shift from rural to urban locations is stressing water resources in some parts of the country. Ulaanbaatar, now home to almost half the country and located at the Tuul river, is expected to run out of water in the next few years. Like other parts of the country, it also suffers due to a lack of adequate wastewater treatment facilities, contamination from a large number of livestock and legacy industries. There are also concerns about water in the South Gobi region, that has been the hub of large scale mining. Almost 40% of the runoff ends in the Gobi desert. Mining, a major part of the economy in Mongolia, and not limited to the Gobi, impacts water resources. While newer mines use modern technologies to conserve water and minimize environmental impact, older mines and artisanal mines significantly impact local water resources.