* First domestic bond tranche raised around $200 million
* Foreign investors welcome to invest in second tranche in Q3
* Project planning $3.4 billion in investment over 2021-2025
ULAANBAATAR, April 21 (Reuters) - Mongolia’s giant Tavan Tolgoi coal mine is aiming to raise 2 trillion tugriks ($700 million) through a bond issue as it tries to build infrastructure needed to replace Australia as one of China’s top coal suppliers, the head of the project said.
Gankhuyag Battulga, chief executive of the state-owned Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC, said Mongolia needs to invest in railways to take advantage of simmering tensions between Beijing and Canberra, which have reduced coal shipments to zero since December.