SouthGobi Resources is a Canadian coal mining company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange. The company's primary asset is a coal mine and development projects of coal assets in Mongolia.
| Company type | Public company |
|---|---|
| TSX-V: SGQ SEHK: 1878 | |
| Industry | Coal mining |
| Founded | 2002 in Canada |
| Products | Coking Coal |
| Services | Coal mining |
| Revenue |  US$73.084 million (2022)[1] |
| US$13.572 million (2022)[1] | |
 -US$30.419 million (2022)[1] | |
| Total assets | US$181.359 million (2022)[1] |
| Total equity | US$142.524 million (2022)[1] |
Number of employees | 360 (2022)[1] |
| Subsidiaries | SGQ Coal Investment Pte. Ltd, SouthGobi Sands LLC, SouthGobi Resources (Hong Kong) Limited, SouthGobi Trading (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Inner Mongolia SouthGobi Energy Co., Ltd., Inner Mongolia SouthGobi Enterprise Co., Ltd., Inner Mongolia SouthGobi Mining Development Co., Ltd., Inner Mongolia SouthGobi Trading Co., Ltd., Wuhai SouthGobi Mining Resources Co., Ltd.[1] |
| Website | https://www.southgobi.com |
A proposed acquisition of the company by a Chinese state owned mining firm in 2012 was thwarted by resource nationalism in Mongolia. The blocked deal led to a chain of events that negatively affected the Mongolian economy for the rest of the decade. Quickly in response to the announced deal, Mongolia passed an investment review law in Mongolia (shortly repealed after enactment) that while only briefly in force stunted for years foreign investor confidence in the country, which had been a darling in emerging markets investment circles before 2012.[2]
After the blocked deal, SouthGobi would itself face an equally dramatic fall from grace as the Mongolian economy. By 2015, the company lost 98% of its once sky high $3 billion Canadian dollar market capitalization that had peaked in 2012.[3]
Corporate affairs
editThe company is publicly listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (HKEX: 1878) and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: SGQ). Its principal shareholders according to its 2018 annual report are the China Investment Corporation with 23.8%; Novel Sunrise with 17.0%, and Voyage Wisdom with 9.5%. Novel Sunrise is 100% controlled by China Cinda Asset Management. Both the China Investment Corporation and China Cinda Asset Management are central state owned enterprises of China.
History
editEarly history
editThe company was founded in 2002. SouthGobi listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2007 and Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2010.
In 2009, the China Investment Corporation funded a $500 million convertible debenture issued by SouthGobi.[4] In March 2010, $250 million of the convertible debenture was converted into SouthGobi common shares. This move lowered the interest held by Ivanhoe Mines (later renamed Turquoise Hill Resources) to 57.6%.
Blocked Chalco sale
editBy 2012, Ivanhoe Mines had come under the influence of its largest shareholder Rio Tinto, which wanted to sell non-core assets, which included SouthGobi.[5] In the same year, Ivanhoe Mines attempted to sell its 57.6% of SouthGobi to Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (Chalco) for $889 million.[6] The attempt announced in April 2012 failed. Chalco called off the deal in September 2012 after estimating "chances for obtaining approval from the Mongolian government were slim".[7]
Negative public opinion in Mongolia based on resource nationalism opposed the sale. The masses did not want majority ownership by foreign state-owned enterprises of companies in their mining industry.[8] Harassment by the Mongolian government targeting SouthGobi and its personnel also took its toll. During and after the sale process, the Mongolian government jailed SouthGobi employees and suspended its mining license for several months. In October 2012, its chief legal counsel Sarah Armstrong was detained and prevented from leaving the country. The Mongolian government alleged the company management had bribed Mongolian state officials.[9] The allegations resulted in the shutdown and search of SouthGobi headquarters in Mongolia by a Mongolian anti-corruption agency. In May 2013 Justin Capla, another company executive, was prosecuted and later sentenced to prison for five years.[10] He was later pardoned by President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj in February 2015.[11]
Fallout from Chalco sale failure
editThe aggressive actions of the Mongolian government against SouthGobi succeeded in blocking the deal with Chalco but had the effect of terrifying foreign investors, resulting in a large slump in investment to Mongolia that continued for several years after 2012.[12]
SouthGobi would dramatically lose value after the blocked sale. The company had been valued at $3 billion Canadian dollars at its high point in 2012.[3]
In March 2015, Novel Sunrise Investments, a private Chinese firm from the Novel Group of companies, became SouthGobi's largest shareholder.[13] Furthermore, Novel Sunrise also appointed three members to SouthGobi's board.[13] Novel Sunrise also separately bought shares in a different company called Turquoise Hill Resources, which also owned shares in SouthGobi.[13]
In January 2020, SouthGobi LLC, a subsidiary of SouthGobi Resources, donated ₮80,000,000 to Manidbadar General Education School, a school in Noyon soum, Umnugovi province.[14]
In June 2021, SouthGobi's CEO was awarded the Mongolian Medal of Friendship,[15] and the company's VP of Public Relations was also awarded the title of Honored Lawyer of Mongolia.[16]
Operations
editThe company holds the Ovoot Tolgoi Mine and development projects at the Soumber Deposit and Zag Suuj Deposit.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Corporation, S. G. R. L. "SouthGobi Resources Annual report 2022" (PDF). Hkexnews.hk. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ "The Jailing of Foreigners in Mongolia Is Unnerving the Business Community". Time. February 5, 2015.
- ^ a b "Turquoise Hill deal to exit Mongolia miner SouthGobi falls through". Reuters. May 1, 2015.
- ^ "Fortune Lost: The short, brutal and costly ride of China Investment Corp. in Canada". Financial Post. May 29, 2015.
- ^ "Ivanhoe Mines sells stake in coal miner for $889M as it develops Oyu Tolgoi". Canadian Press. April 2, 2012.
- ^ "Chalco drops $926 million bid for Mongolian coal miner". Reuters. September 3, 2012.
- ^ "SouthGobi Resources sacks second senior executive". South China Morning Post. October 20, 2012.
- ^ "Mongolia suspends SouthGobi licences". April 2012.
- ^ "SouthGobi Sands and Sarah Armstrong: Still No Official Statement from IAAC". October 2012.
- ^ "SouthGobi Resources case is being transferred to prosecution". June 2013.
- ^ "American, 2 others pardoned in Mongolia tax-evasion case". February 26, 2015.
- ^ "Day 816: Mongolia Prefers Economic Suicide Over Ending SouthGobi Vendetta". forbes.com. February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c Saywell, Trish (4 March 2015). "Chinese firm Novel to buy stake in SouthGobi". The Northern Miner. Archived from the original on 21 April 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ "SouthGobi Sands contributes to gym renovation in Noyon soum of Umnugovi province" (PDF) (Press release) (in English, Chinese, and Mongolian). SouthGobi Resources. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ "Our CEO Dalanguerban awarded the Medal of Friendship by the decree of the President of Mongolia" (PDF) (Press release) (in English, Chinese, and Mongolian). SouthGobi Resources. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ "Mr. Munkhbat Chuluun, Vice President of Public Relations, awarded the title of "Honored Lawyer of Mongolia" by the decree of the President of Mongolia" (PDF) (Press release) (in English, Chinese, and Mongolian). SouthGobi Resources. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2024.