The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and geological study of Mongolia. Report of the expert group of the CMEA (COMECON) member countries dated September 9, 1963

Abstract

The article deals with the issue of geological study of the MPR territory undertaken by the expert group of the CMEA member countries in August-September 1963. Despite the relevance of the topic due to the current state of the economy of Mongolia, as well as the importance of the work of the expert group for subsequent geological studies of the country, the subject is only briefly mentioned in the existing historiography. Therefore, there is no information about the group formation process, the progress of its work, as well as the content of the report compiled. The study of these issues is the purpose of the article. Based on the materials of the RSAE and the RSACH, it was established that the Mongolian side began lobbying for the start of a geological study of the country’s territory through the CMEA even before joining the organization. In response to the subsequent statements of the Mongolian representatives in the CMEA, the Executive Committee of the Council initiated the sending of an expert group to Mongolia to prepare proposals on the issue; and those proposals were consequently reflected in the report of September 9, 1963. The experts called for curtailing further exploration work on the already discovered oil, iron, manganese, chromium and polymetallic ores. It was recommended to hold off on an active development of oil shale, germanium, graphite and magnesite deposits. On the other hand, the experts advocated the carrying out of a wide range of surveys, as well as undertaking exploratory measures pertaining to the development of coal, copper, gold, tin, tungsten, fluorspar, piezoquartz, building materials, phosphates and mineral salts.