Could you start with an overview of Redpath’s work at the Oyu Tolgoi (OT) site?

2024 marks our 20th anniversary in Mongolia. We started at the exploration site then owned by Ivanhoe Mines with a small shaft used to extract a bulk sample for mineralogy testing; this experience allowed us to start on a small scale, getting to understand the culture, the legislative environment, logistics, and labor. It also led to a contract to construct Shaft 1, a fairly large exploration shaft we undertook between 2005 and 2008 and sank to a depth of 1,385 meters.

Later, we identified the need to create a JV with a local Mongolian company. With Hasu Megawatt as the majority stakeholder, Dayan Contract Mining has been operating since 2015 as a true partnership. Both parties have much to contribute. With many years of experience in civil projects across Mongolia, Hasu brings a strong engineering and technical services team, offering non-destructive testing, manufacturing and fabrication services that complement Redpath’s skills in international mining technologies and underground supervision, and world-class safety and training programs. Through the partnership, we have continued to transition senior Mongolian nationals very successfully into roles initially held by expatriates. Could you elaborate on the work you currently do at the OT mine as Dayan?

Currently, Dayan has close to 1,400 people working on-site at Oyu Tolgoi, with three ongoing mining and construction contracts. The biggest of the three is the underground development contract that consists of three elements: mass excavation and horizontal development, mine services and maintenance, and raisebore and boxhole drilling services. The second contract comprises underground construction services, including mechanical piping works, civil works, and miscellaneous construction, all to support the mining operations. Thirdly, we are currently executing all “footprint” construction, i.e. installation of steel sets, precast concrete roadways on the extraction level, perimeter roadways, and concrete roadways, all within the underground workings. The OT mine is regarded as one of the most modern copper mines, globally. Could you share more about the expertise available in the country and how Redpath contributes to skills development?

Redpath’s greatest value proposition lies in our international expertise and training programs. We have trained more than 500 people who have become Rio Tinto employees, and another 2,000 employees now under Dayan. The training is 100% focused on Mongolian nationals. As a testament to our efforts, the OT mine no longer has any underground expatriate operators. We are also proud to see a significant number of women working underground since the abolition in 2017 of a law that prohibited female workers from operating underground. The Mongolian work ethic is by far the strongest I have seen. While most of the workforce are well-educated and English-speaking, everyone demonstrates tremendous dedication and pride in what they do. What are the main operational challenges you encounter in Mongolia?

An obvious challenge is the harsh climate, with temperatures ranging from minus 40 to plus 40 Celsius, dust storms in the summer and snow storms in the winter, but our experience in northern Canada has familiarized us with tough weather conditions. Logistics for such a remote area presented several difficulties in earlier years, but have improved considerably, with multiple daily flights going to the site and a modern runway that can land 737s in the South Gobi region. Cultural challenges and language barriers are always bound to be there, as we have people from all over the world (Australia, North and South America, Africa, and Europe), but I see all these nationalities working together as a good thing. And finally, political uncertainty: we have seen the project demobilize twice, once in 2008 and a second time in 2013, when it was placed on care and maintenance for three years. What should our readers know about Mongolia?

I have been fortunate enough to travel to many places around the world, but Mongolia holds a dear place in my heart thanks to the relationships I have built there over the years, where colleagues have turned into lifelong friends. What has also astonished me in my 50+ visits to the country is the level and speed of infrastructure investment. What are Redpath’s priorities moving forward?

Our commitment is to provide the highest standard of service, on time and on budget, whilst we continue to train and develop the Mongolian workforce for generations to come.