Despite widespread opposition by Mongolian citzens for several years, their government has now effectively agreed to terms proposed by Ivanhoe and Rio Tinto, for what the companies claim could be the world’s most lucrative copper-gold mine. The go-ahead has triggered a second major investment by the UK giant miner in the Canadian vehicle, steered by the notorious Robert Friedland. Rio Tinto will shortly own just under 20% of the share capital of its Toronto-registered junior partner. The ties between the two companies were set out in a 2007 contract, in which Rio Tinto obliged Ivanhoe to quit Burma before it provided subtantial funding to the Canadians. However, as exposed last July by Canadian Friends of Burma, that withdrawal hasn’t ocurred.
See: http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=9563.