Politics
Parliament Passes Mining Law Amendments on Royalties, Local Funding and Mine Closure
Published: 2026-10-18
Parliament gave final approval on October 16 to amendments to the Minerals Law intended to update mining regulation, expand geological research and exploration, support development of strategically important minerals, and encourage processing rather than raw-material exports. The legislation doubles the share of mineral-resource-use payments assigned to the Local Development Integrated Fund, with greater emphasis on areas affected by mining. It also requires annual reporting on mine-closure and rehabilitation work and the financing set aside for it alongside mining and processing reports. For copper, the amendments introduce a royalty framework described as aligned with international practice. The accompanying presentation estimates potential copper-concentrate output of up to 3.3 million tonnes and mineral-resource-use payments of up to 2.25 trillion tugriks; these are projected figures rather than reported outcomes.
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Published: 2026-10-18
Justice and Home Affairs Minister G. Temuulen said that all housing information held by the state will be openly available to citizens from November 15. He linked the measure to preventing housing fraud, citing cases in which one apartment was sold onward to five people. Police are investigating a case affecting the interests of 2,208 citizens and involving reported losses of 173 billion; the source does not specify the currency or unit. Temuulen said making state-held housing information transparent and open could create an opportunity to prevent housing fraud. The announcement concerns information held by the state, rather than all housing records generally.
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Supreme Court Judges Set to Review Draft Laws and Judicial Procedures
Published: 2026-10-18
All judges of the Supreme Court and the Judges’ Conference are scheduled to meet on October 19. They will consider and provide opinions on a first draft Factoring Law submitted by MP A. Ganbaatar and a revised General Construction Law proposed by MP Ts. Davaasuren. The agenda also includes requests from three first-instance administrative court judges and a petition from 14 lawyers concerning a cassation decision’s use of a repealed Criminal Procedure Law provision. Judges will review a proposed methodology for child and family specialist reports before the specialized child and family court begins work on November 1. Separately, Parliament’s next Thursday-Friday session is scheduled to introduce Supreme Court judge nominees and consider budget, banking, standards, and Belarus treaty matters.
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Economy
Fuel Prices Jump as Government Opens Oyu Tolgoi Dividend Consultation
Published: 2026-10-18
AI-92 petrol prices rose by 500-560 tugriks per litre on October 12, rising from 3,040 to 3,600 tugriks per litre, as deliveries from Russia became more costly and constrained. Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources B. Munkhtamir said the October supply price was US$190 higher than September, citing disruptions at Russian oil refineries and Russia’s own shortage. Authorities reported 14 days of AI-92 stocks and 30 days of diesel stocks, while seeking supply from China, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia. Separately, the government opened a 14-day public consultation on allocating anticipated Oyu Tolgoi dividends, due October 28 for the 2027 budget working group. Parliament also approved amendments to the 2026 budget and related wealth, social-insurance and health-insurance fund budgets.
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Infrastructure
New 240-Kilometre Road Opens Between Tavan Tolgoi and Gashuunsukhait
Published: 2026-10-18
Traffic opened October 17 on a newly built 240-kilometre road from the Tavan Tolgoi coal deposits in Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugovi Province, to the Gashuunsukhait border crossing. The segment forms part of the Tavan Tolgoi-Gashuunsukhait heavy-haul road project. Officials said the route is intended to improve conditions for transporting coal and other exports, strengthen safety for drivers, and improve transport organization. They also discussed allowing imported goods, particularly construction materials, to pass through the Gashuunsukhait crossing, as well as measures to improve logistics and increase the crossing’s handling capacity. The report does not state that these border-processing changes have been adopted or completed. The opening puts this road section into operation.
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Ulaanbaatar Plans to Move Emeelt Checkpoint to Argalant in 2027
Published: 2026-10-18
Ulaanbaatar plans to relocate the Emeelt checkpoint to Argalant and the Nalaikh checkpoint into Tuv Province in 2027. The move follows completion of the 127-kilometer Bagakhangai-Khushig Valley-Emeelt railway, which officials say has removed hazardous freight transport from the capital. An underpass at the former Emeelt checkpoint site entered service on September 15. Mayor B. Purevdavaa said moving checkpoints outside the city would let people travel within Ulaanbaatar without paying the 5,000-tugrik charge each time they pass through one. The planned relocations have not yet been completed.
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Cable-Car System Undergoes Load Tests Before Independent Safety Audit
Published: 2026-10-18
Testing continues on Ulaanbaatar’s cable-car transport line between Artsat in Yarmag and the Unur residential area in Kharkhorin. The 4.2-kilometer, two-station route is designed to carry more than 2,300 passengers an hour at peak times, with an estimated 11-minute journey. Engineers first tested the main cable without load, then ran five empty cabins; they are now conducting load tests using five cabins weighing 750 kilograms each. If that stage succeeds, all 98 cabins will undergo empty and loaded system tests before Bureau Veritas conducts an independent technical audit and the state commission considers acceptance. The municipal transport authority said the system includes ice-control procedures, wind monitoring, heated station seating, and a 400-kilowatt backup generator to bring cabins to stations during a power outage.
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Environment
Snow, Blizzards and Sharper Cold Forecast Across Much of the Country
Published: 2026-10-18
A colder, unsettled spell is forecast across much of the country from October 19 to 23, with wet snow, snow and blowing snow expected in several western, central and eastern areas. On October 18, snowfall and blizzards were forecast in western provinces, while strong winds were forecast for the Altai foothills and Gobi. Forecast wind gusts may reach 15-17 metres per second in Gobi and steppe areas on October 19-20, the Altai mountains on October 21, and the Gobi again October 22. Night temperatures are forecast to fall to minus 20 to minus 25 Celsius in the Darkhad Depression and near the headwaters of the Zavkhan, Zag and Baidrag rivers. Ulaanbaatar was forecast at 0 to plus 2 Celsius on October 18, cloudy and dry.
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No New Goat Pox Cases Reported in Govi-Altai Since October 16
Published: 2026-10-18
Veterinary authorities reported no new cases of goat pox in Govi-Altai Province since October 16, following an outbreak in Tsogt soum. A specialist team led by General Authority for Veterinary Services head Kh. Altangerel is working in the province from October 16 to 21 to assess conditions and coordinate containment. Authorities have culled 20,855 animals from 44 households in Tsogt and Delger soums and completed final disinfection across 92,700 square metres. Active surveillance covers 44,700 animals from 102 households, while passive surveillance covers herds from 255 households in 10 soums. Veterinary bodies were instructed to quickly inform herders about symptoms, transmission and risk reduction, and to strengthen controls on unauthorized seasonal movements, livestock transport and breeding animals.
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Health
Government Orders Paid Leave or Remote Work for Parents Caring for Children With Flu
Published: 2026-10-18
From November 1, 2026 through March 2027, government employees caring for children aged six and under who have influenza or influenza-like illness will be eligible for up to five paid working days of leave or remote work. The government instructed heads and directors of budget-funded institutions to implement the measure, which is intended to reduce influenza and influenza-like illness outbreaks and prevent complications. It applies when parents or guardians are caring for an eligible child either in hospital or at home. The decision does not impose the same requirement on private employers or nongovernmental organizations; the government called on them to adopt comparable arrangements. The measure is scheduled to run from November 1, 2026 through March 2027.
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