Mongolia exports 37.7 mln tons of coal in first 5 months

 Mongolia exported 31.7 million tons of coal in the first five months of this year, marking a 37.3 percent increase compared to the same period last year, data by the country's National Statistics Office showed Thursday.

Mongolia is rich in natural resources and the mining sector has been a key driver of the country's economic growth for years.

Coal, a primary export commodity, accounted for 60 percent of Mongolia's total exports from January to May, the data indicated.

The Asian country has set a goal of exporting at least 60 million tons of coal in 2024. Last year, the landlocked country exported 66.7 million tons, achieving a historic high.