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POPSEarthjustice Joins in Fight to Stem Mining Pollution in Mongolia (cont.)Moreover, the situation is likely to grow worse. The opening-up to foreign investment in 1997 -- and the discovery of some of the world's largest deposits of coal, uranium, copper, and gold -- has led to an explosion in the mining sector. Thousands of exploration licenses have been issued to foreign mining companies from China, Russia, the United States, Canada, and elsewhere eager to exploit these vast resources.