MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. Russia is going to increase production of rare and rare-earth metals by a factor of eight by 2030 and reduce the share of imports in consumption to 15%, Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov said.

"Technologies for processing of complex ores and extracting such metals were developed in prior years. Currently, government-supported investment projects are being prepared for the start by Rosatom - these are Lovozersky concentration plant and Solikamsk Magnesium Plant; projects of Rostec and Highland Gold - Tyrnyauzskoe tungsten and molybdenum [deposit], Tastygskoe lithium [deposit] and Ermakovskoe beryllium deposit. Furthermore, there are initiatives of private companies - Skygrad will process phosphogypsum tails in Voskresensk and Norilsk Nickel is working on the Polar Lithium [project] in cooperation with Rosatom. Owing to such projects, we expect to boost rare and rare-earth metals production by eight times by 2030 and reduce the share of imports in consumption to 15%," the minister said.

VSMPO-Avisma established ilmenite concentrate deliveries from friendly countries, Alikhanov said, referring to titanium production. "The first stage of the Tugansky concentration plant was launched with the use of the domestic equipment at the start of this year, making it possible to substitute 7% of imports. The second stage is being implemented and we plan to reach volumes covering about a half of our raw material needs by 2030," he added.