Oyu

Oyu most commonly refers to the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in the Gobi Desert of southern Mongolia. The mine is located in Khanbogd district, Ömnögovi Province, near Mongolia’s southern border. It is one of the largest known copper-gold deposits in the world, with substantial resources and reserves that support ongoing development. The project comprises an open-pit operation, which began production in 2013, and an extensive underground development that followed to increase capacity. Oyu Tolgoi has been developed as a joint venture involving Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill Resources, with participation by the Government of Mongolia; financing, governance, and ownership arrangements have evolved over time as expansion plans proceeded.

The name Oyu is part of Mongolian toponymy, and its association with the Oyu Tolgoi project is the term’s most widely recognized use in global reference works. In broader contexts, the term may appear in local place names or geographic descriptors within Mongolia, though outside of the mine, there are no widely consolidated references to a distinct entity simply called “Oyu.” The mine has been a major driver of economic activity in Mongolia, influencing investment, employment, and infrastructure development in the region.