Calf deaths caused by heavy metal waste

The Central Geological Laboratory, State Central Veterinary and the Sanitary Laboratory has determined the reason behind the sudden death of dozens of calves in Dornogovi aimag. After testing samples it was found that the deaths were caused by heavy metal poisoning.

There had been local reports about dozens of calves mysteriously dying in Ulaanbadrakh, Zuunbayan sum in Dornogovi aimag.

One incident was recorded where a herder in Zuunbayan sum had 19 calves die while grazing the land leaving no obvious signs of why last November.

After the mysterious incident experts from the Central Geological Laboratory, State Central Veterinary and the Sanitary Laboratory took samples of waste at Zuuvchiin ovoo and Tal Khongoriin Shar Dov. Here a grazing area had become a uranium waste site but is still in some cases being used for grazing.

Once the grazing land had been turned into the uranium waste site by the Cogegobi Mongolia based company, a subsidiary of AREVA France, they started exploring for mineral deposits in Dulaan uul and Umnud Uranium Project in Dornogovi aimag in 1997.