Things to do in Erdenet
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Friendship Monument
The communist Friendship Monument is worth a quick look. On the way from the town centre you pass a fine Marx mural and a picture of Lenin bolted to the wall. A little further to the east, the ovoo (a shamanistic collection of stones, wood or other offerings) is impressive if you haven't seen too many before. The hills north of the monument and south of the stadium are great for short hikes.
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Copper Mine
The open-cut Copper Mine, easily seen to the north of the city, is one of the 10-largest copper mines in the world. It's also a tremendous burden on the country's infrastructure and consumes nearly 50% of Mongolia's electricity.
Open-cut mining is more damaging to the environment but infinitely safer than digging mine shafts below the surface. Also, since this particular mountain is almost solid copper and molybdenum ore, this is the only practical way to reach it. Despite the destruction of the mountain, the long-term environmental effects aren't as bad as the gold mines in nearby Zaamar, where rivers are being polluted and poisoned.
The mine accounts for around 40% of …
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Carpet Factory
If a couple of tonnes of copper is a bit inconvenient to carry around, a carpet would make a fine souvenir. The city's carpet factory produces over more than million square metres every year using machinery from the former East Germany. The carpet factory is open year-round but production is low in summer (June to August) when supplies of wool are scarce. If you ask the guard it may be possible to take a tour of the entire operation. The factory is just off the main road to the train station, about 2km from the Friendship Monument.
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Museum of Orkhon Aimag
Opened in 1983 and hidden in a concrete complex on the right side of the Marx mural, the small Museum of Orkhon Aimag includes a few oddities including a model of the copper mine (you can see it in 'day' or 'night') and a model of a modern ger with a TV inside. Look out for the two-headed calf, which hopefully is no indication of what the mine is doing to the local water supply.
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Sports Palace
If you have some time to kill, check out the Sports Palace. You can take a hot shower (around Tug1000) or sauna (around Tug2000 per hour), watch some wrestling or go ice skating in winter at the stadium at the back. There's an indoor pool (around Tug2000), open weekdays only, but the staff may make life difficult by insisting on a medical examination before they let you swim.
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Casablanca Bar & Restaurant
Various Russian and Mongolian dishes and beers are served to customers sitting in huge leather couches. Try the azu, a fried meat and veggie dish inspired by Chinese cooking. It's located in the department store (Uilchilgeenii Töv).
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Art Café
Progressive café and bar on the main road with very orange interior, couches and modern art on the walls. A big-screen TV is tuned to local news. Food is standard Mongolian meat and potato dishes and few Russian soups and salads.
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Nomin Shop
You can also buy carpets and rugs here, about 500m west of the Sports Palace. A huge Chinggis Khaan wall carpet costs from around Tug900 and smaller, towel-sized carpets are around T5000 to T20,000.
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Mining Museum
The Soviet-built Mining Museum belongs to the copper-mining company, Erdenet Concern. It's on the 2nd floor of the Culture Palace on the town square, and is worth a look.
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