Rio Tinto Group has established the
“South Gobi Underground Mass Mining Institute” (SGUMMI) in collaboration with Australia’s leading Queensland University. Both domestic and international mining professionals will now have the opportunity to have world-class practical training at Oyu Tolgoi mine. In addition to conducting practical training at its mine site, Oyu Tolgoi will cover participants’ flights between the Oyu Tolgoi mine site and Ulaanbaatar, accommodations, as well as guidance from experts.
Over the past two decades, there has been a significant decline in the number of students globally studying in mining engineering, leading to a shortage of highly skilled mining professionals. The establishment of this underground mine training programme aims to address the skills gap in the industry and promote Mongolia’s mining sector on the global stage.
Bold, Rio Tinto’s Chief of Commercial and Business Development and the project initiator, emphasised, “We are very excited to offer world-class training for mining professionals here in Mongolia. 15 years ago, Rio Tinto believed in Mongolia’s future and invested with trust. This institution confirms our commitment to being a trusted partner for the coming decades.”
Andre van As, Professor of Underground Mining Geoscience at Queensland University, who led the institute's establishment, said, “The South Gobi Underground Mass Mining Institute will offer a unique, world-class, practical training programme delivered by industry experts. This initiative will address the critical skills gap in the underground mining sector, making a substantial global impact while developing essential expertise in underground, hard rock mass mining in Mongolia. With the Oyu Tolgoi Mine as the practical training site, the Institute will establish itself as a strategic hub for mining education in Asia, benefiting the local Mongolian mining community and contributing to the global mining workforce.”
SGUMMI’s training curriculum will focus on core engineering subjects, such as underground mining, geotechnics, and mining engineering. International experts are collaborating on the development and delivery of the trainings. From 2026 onward, the institute will be open to both domestic and international mining companies to train their employees.
