Nicholas Hedge
The Paw Print
Take a guess at what country had the most rapidly growing economy last year. Was it the ever economic giant China? No. An oil rich country like Saudi Arabia? No, another Asian tiger like Japan or Hong Kong? Well, that’s not too far off the mark, but it’s not any of the old contenders. It seems as though an Aladdin-esque treasure has been found in the middle of the Gobi desert within Mongolia. But instead of wishing for royalty, the Mongolians have wished for copper, gold, and mining dividends.
Many thought the landlocked country had seen its heyday back in the twelfth century under Genghis Khan. But it seems as though the small landlocked country is making a comeback. Growing by an incredible 17 percent in 2011, according to NPR news, the Mongolian economy shows no signs of slowing down. The GDP is expected to more than double in the next 10 years, with an average growth of 12 percent per year. The mine, called Oyu Tolgoi, Mongolian for “turquoise hills” after the coloration of copper after it is exposed to oxygen, will soon become the third largest copper and gold mine in the world.
At first glance, this seems to have only brought good things to Mongolia and its people. A huge increase in GDP, an easier way of life than the traditional nomadic farming, and a new way of putting it on the map besides the fact that it has more livestock than people. But it seems as though more money also brings more problems to the Mongolians. The mining boom has incited a 21st century gold rush to the area surrounding the Oyu Tolgoi mine, leading many away from the traditional nomadic lifestyle that they and their families have been practicing for hundreds of years. Many are almost forced to leave because they can no longer make enough money as nomadic herders.
Most of these gold miners do not actually work for the Oyu Tolgoi, but as illegal “Ninja” miners working around the actual site. The name “ninja” miner is derived by the way the miners look while toting the plastic gold panning basins on their backs; they resemble our beloved “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” from our childhoods. The government has been forced to take a blind eye to these workers, because there is simply no place for them to go. They can no longer be nomads, and most lack the skills and education required to get any other job. The older people that have stayed as nomads are also now finding it even harder to do than it was before. In order for the mine to operate, it must use huge amounts of water. In order to satisfy this need, it has been tapping into local streams, rivers and aquifers. Many of the surrounding lakes and streams have now dried up, significantly affecting the ecosystem by rapidly increasing the desertification of the land.
One of my main worries when looking at this mine is not necessarily what is happening inside of Mongolia, but what is going on outside of it. Mongolia is nestled tightly in between two majorly powerful countries; Russia and China. The Russians and Chinese are not necessarily known for their fair play, first Russia with the claiming of what most countries refer to as international waters in the Arctic Circle, and then China having all sorts of nefarious dealings in various African countries for national resources. I am just wondering what they are thinking of doing now that their little neighbor with a practically nonexistent army has a huge stash of very valuable natural resource. Only time will tell, but let’s hope that Aladdin’s genie will be there to help if one of either of these two super powers decides to act nasty.
What’s Been Said…