“Obviously we appreciate the complexity of the project, we think it’s quite an undertaking to build this huge project in Mongolia,” she said.

“We need to have very honest conversations with Rio Tinto about the reasons for the delays, why there are certain issues and why certain claims are made about the reasons for the delays.”

She said the government was “carefully reviewing” the independent report and wanted “more transparency and more visibility on the project”.

The two sides were to “create a stronger partnership based on mutual trust and respect”.

The Mongolian government is trying to draw a fine line between holding Rio Tinto accountable for the mine’s problems, without developing an unmanageable government reputation for foreign investors.

Ms Bayarsaikhan was careful to praise Rio Tinto’s presence in Mongolia and said she hoped that “in the near future we will reach a mutually beneficial solution based on the best interests of the project”.

“It’s tough, but we’ll get there. We focus a lot on problem solving, rather than positional fights and disagreements,” she said.

The Mongols must also advance at a pace that allows other developments in Oyu Tolgoi’s story to unfold.

This includes a class action lawsuit by US investors in Toronto-listed Turquoise Hill Resources, which is 50.79% owned by Rio Tinto and owns 66% of Oyu Tolgoi. The other third of the shares in the mine belong to the Mongolian government. A judgment is that the case could be imminent.

There is also the possibility of a regulatory investigation into whether Rio Tinto has disclosed complete and accurate information to the market about the issues at the mine.

These issues could affect the balance of bargaining power between the company and the government, and the amount of compensation that could be offered or demanded.