What are we doing in Mongolia?

As one of the largest known copper and gold deposits in the world stretching over 12 kilometres, the Oyu Tolgoi (OT) is a mammoth site and project, one that Monadelphous is proud to be part of.

Located in the Gobi Desert, OT offers unique challenges in remoteness and extreme weather, with temperatures plunging to negative 40 degrees Celsius during winter!

Originally awarded in 2017, the first scope of work our Engineering Construction (EC) team were contracted to provide the provision of decommissioning, demolition, civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation (SMPE&I) works associated with Shaft 1 and Shaft 2 surface infrastructure at the Rio Tinto operated copper and gold mine.

After successfully completing the package of work, as well as additional SMPE&I packages, the team demobilised from site in April 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fast forward to 2022 and we have been re-engaged to install the final two surface conveyors with transfer stations, measuring 1.2 kilometres long and ending over 40 meters in the air, feeding the stockpile at OT.

We spoke with Operations Manager Martin Mackay recently about the significance of the project and being at a site like OT.

“We’d previously had over two years of work at Oyu Tolgoi with in excess of 1,000 employees at peak, but due to the impact of COVID we had to leave this project prior to our scope of work being completed, and only recently have made our re-entrance to Mongolia.”

“It’s like we are back to complete some unfinished business, plus it is great to be working again with our local Ulaanbaatar office as it approaches its 10-year anniversary.

“This project is a fantastic opportunity for the team and the business to continue to be part of a significant site that is one of the most innovative projects currently under construction.

“At times with over 10,000 people on site from around the world, it’s a real coming together of minds and it’s a great opportunity for the team to collaborate and learn in what is essentially a hub of experience,” said Martin.

“To put it in perspective, there are four charter flights a day from Ulaanbaatar to fly the crews in and with regular coaches running on site 18 hours per day to help employees make their way around the job site and get to the many work fronts. Once complete there will be over 200 kilometres of tunnels underground and with five mine shafts that reach as deep as 1.3kilometres under the surface, it’s a 24/7 operation and one of the most high-tech underground mines.”

“Although we are a small part of a much larger operation at OT, it’s great to have a strong relationship with the customer and we’re excited to be part of the project, currently we are in the premobilisation phase of going back to site and it is so nice to have so many of our ex national employees applying to return to work for Monadelphous,” said Martin.

We look forward to hearing more updates about the project as it progresses and meeting some of the team working on the Project over the coming months.