Khanbumbat Airport

Khanbumbat Airport (Mongolian: Ханбумбат нисэх буудал, also Oyu Tolgoi Airport) is an airport in Khanbogd, Ömnögovi, Mongolia. The airport's construction was funded by the adjacent Oyu Tolgoi mine. It is the second airport in passenger traffic in Mongolia after Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport. The airport serves nearly 100,000 passengers annually.

Umnugobi Khanbumbat Airport

Ханбумбат нисэх буудал
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerOyu Tolgoi LLC
OperatorACH Services LLC
ServesKhanbogd
LocationKhanbogd, Ömnögovi, Mongolia
Elevation AMSL1,196 m / 3,924 ft
Coordinates43°08′05″N 106°50′47″E
Websitehttp://ot.mn/
Map
ZMKB
Location within Mongolia
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 3,250 10,663 Concrete[1] PCN 57/R/B/W/T
--/-- ? ? Concrete
Statistics (2014)
Passengers57,597
Sources: Civil Aviation Administration of Mongolia and the MCAA[2]

History

Oyu Tolgoi mine exploration
Main article: Oyu Tolgoi mine

Canadian-based Ivanhoe Mines discovered the gold-copper ore deposit in 2001 in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. It is in an area known as Oyu Tolgoi (Mongolian for Turquoise Hill),[3] where in the time of Genghis Khan outcropping rocks were smelted for copper.[4] By 2003 there were 18 exploration drill rigs on the property employing approximately 200 people, and Oyu Tolgoi was the "biggest mining exploration project in the world."[3] In January 2013 Oyu Tolgoi started producing concentrate from the mine.[5]

Airport history

The old building of the airport was built in the 2000s. In 2004 the airport was called "Oyut Airport". The runway was dirt. In 2007 it started accepting passenger flights. The new airport was built in 2012. It opened on 10 February 2013.

Information

Description

The Khanbumbat Airport and Oyu Tolgoi mine are in the South Gobi Desert of Mongolia, 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Mongolia's border with the People's Republic of China, where the mined copper is expected to be shipped.[4] Oyu Tolgoi deposits contain (as of 2010) an estimated 79 billion pounds (35,833,000 tonnes) of copper, and 45 million ounces (1,275,000,000 grams) of gold.[6] Production was scheduled to begin in 2013 and to reach full capacity in 2018. Over the anticipated lifespan of the mine (45 years), Oyu Tolgoi is scheduled to produce 450,000 tonnes (500,000 short tons) of copper per year, an amount equal to 3% of global production. Oyu Tolgoi is also expected to produce 330,000 ounces of gold annually.[7][8] Rio Tinto intends to employ 3,000-4,000 people from Mongolia,[9] so a new airport was needed. Khanbumbat Airport is located 207 kilometers northwest of the regional capital of the Dalanzadgad, and 522 kilometers southwest of the national capital of Ulan Bator.

Runways and operational infrastructure

The airport of international standards, its runway has a length of 3259 m, and a width of 45 meters. It is able to receive Boeing-737 and Airbus A320 aircraft.

The terminal building (designed to mimick a Mongolian ger) is able to cater for up to 240 passengers per hour.[10]

In 2013, 80,000 passengers arrived at the airport. The majority were employees of the Oyu Tolgoi mine from Ulan Bator, including foreigners who connected through Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport. In the future it is possible to open international flights directly to Khanbumbat.[11]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
Aero Mongolia Ulaanbaatar
  • Coffee shop inside the airport
  • Airport security
  • Airport ceiling
  • Outside view of the airport
  • Airport direction sign
  • Airport interior

See also

References
  1. "Ханбумбат” нисэх буудал удахгүй ашиглалтад орно"
  2. "Монголын иргэний нисэхийн статистикийн эмхтгэл 2014". Civil Aviation Administration of Mongolia. Archived from the original on 2015-06-15.
  3. Grainger, David (22 December 2003). "The Great Mongolian Gold Rush The land of Genghis Khan has the biggest mining find in a very long time. A visit to the core of a frenzy in the middle of nowhere". CNN Money (Fortune Magazine). Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  4. Brooke, James (15 October 2004). "Mining brings the Gobi Desert to life". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  5. Lazenby, Henry (1 February 2013). "Oyu Tolgoi produces first concentrate". Mining Weekly. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  6. Hill, Leizel (6 January 2010). "Ivanhoe Mines hires Citi to advise, mulls 'range' of deals". Creamer Mining Weekly. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  7. MacDonald, Alex (1 April 2010). "Rio Tinto moves to development phase for $US4bn Oyu Tolgoi mine". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  8. "Oyu Tolgoi 2010 Spending Budgeted at $758 Million". Engineering Mining Journal. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  9. "Oyu Tolgoi". 2013. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  10. Khanbumbat Airport becomes best construction of 2012 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. МОНЦАМЭ.
  11. Oyu Tolgoi Press Release on Khanbumbat Airport Archived 2012-10-25 at the Wayback Machine
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