Mongolia’s April coal exports dive 70% MoM to just 641 kt

The strict transportation controls in place at Sino-Mongolian border checkpoints as a virus containment measure are seriously impacting the two countries’ coal trade, Mysteel Global has learned. In April, Mongolia’s exports of coal for all uses plunged by 70.1% on month or 35.7% on year to around 641,000 tonnes, according to the country’s Customs data. China buys almost all Mongolian coal for export.

Despite last month’s fall, Mongolia’s total coal exports over January-April were still 77.5% higher on year at 7.3 million tonnes in total, the Customs data showed, which was in huge contrast to the low base for the same period last year when the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading nationwide throughout