Magnetotelluric studies in Mongolia: Progress status and outlook

Mongolia is a unique natural laboratory for studying intracontinental surface deformation and intraplate volcanism due to its location within the high plateaus of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, far away from active plate margins. The region is also characterized by zones of economically significant mineral deposits and vast geothermal resources, which are intrinsically linked to its lithospheric architecture and crust-mantle interactions. Key earth’s properties, such as temperature, fluid content, and partial melt, influence the subsurface electrical conductivity - a target parameter of the magnetotelluric method. Between 2016 and 2024, two large-scale international magnetotelluric projects were conducted, resulting in more than 784 magnetotelluric measurements across a vast area of about 1000×1250 km2. Additionally, from 2019 to 2023, a focused international magnetotelluric study was carried out at the geothermal field near Tsenkher in the Khangai Mountains, with 256 magnetotelluric measurements over a smaller area of about 35×40 km2. These projects contributed significantly to understanding the region’s lithospheric processes and geothermal systems. Crucially, the knowledge transfer from these collaborative projects has enabled Mongolian researchers to initiate and perform their own magnetotelluric surveys to explore geologically significant areas across the region. This review details performed magnetotelluric surveys (as of the end of 2024), highlights the key results, and discusses potential directions for future research.