According to leading Mongolian news portal news.mn at 12pm today, June 24, 2010, after second reading , united session of the Parliament of Mongolia has voted by 89.4% in favor of state railroad policy resolution that provides for 1520 mm wide gage railroad (used primarily in Russia) for new railroads from Tavan Tolgoi to Sainshand, proposed massive industrial and minerals processing hub in Gobi on a main vertical railroad and further to Choibalsan, eastern border and for Government to submit to and to have resolve by Parliament issue of gage of second-stage railroads linking deposits such as TT directly with other countries without connecting to main railroad.
Earlier, on June 21, 2010 united session of Parliament has made initial reading of the draft Parliament resolution on state policy on rail road transportation.
The united session of parliament on that day has approved state policy to develop railroads in three stages. In this way, Parliament has supported to build railroad Direct rail links from TT and other deposits to Chinese border are second stage.
Parliament Speaker D.Demberel has expressed gratitude and approval for MPs for having united position of state policy on railroads.
Reuters reported on industrial park and railways in Mongolia as following on June 18,2010. “Tavan Tolgoi"s development plan isn"t the only issue simmering inside the halls of the State Great Hural.
Just how to shift the country"s resources out of its vast interior is also crucial to making its mining operations economically feasible over the long term, analysts say.
Mongolia aims to build a massive industrial park in Sainshand, capital of Dornogovi Province, to help transport metals and coal to customers around the world.
The government is receiving proposals from engineering companies and hopes to move forward with a plan this year. The facility will include copper smelting and coal processing plants, as well as railroads to and from the park.
In April, Prime Minister S.Batbold threw his support behind a controversial east-west railway plan, which will connect Tavan Tolgoi to the eastern city of Choibalsan via Sainshand.
"The Boston Consulting group has identified there are other market opportunities besides China, such as Korea, Japan, India, and Taiwan for both coal and copper," said Ganbat Chuluunkhuu, adviser to the minister for road, transport, construction and urban development.
"The idea is to have multiple export opportunities and, number two, to not be dependent on one trading partner," Ganbat added, referring to China.
"In addition to Chinese export hubs via Chinese seaports, we would have export opportunities via Russian seaports to reach markets in Japan, Korea, and elsewhere.”