MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. Investments in the aluminum mining project in the Krasnoyarsk Region, where companies from the United States can be invited, are estimated at $15 billion, Russian President Vladimir Putin said talking to VGTRK journalist Pavel Zarubin.
"This is, however, a capital-intensive, investment-intensive project. But, according to preliminary estimates, it cost or will cost in today's prices somewhere around $15 billion. We can give it a thought," Putin said.
He recalled that aluminum production is very energy-intensive, so it should be located in regions with cheap electricity generation.
"Aluminum is, first and foremost, energy. And preferably cheap energy. Hydropower is cheap, and, among other things, it is also environmentally friendly," the President noted.
He recalled that plans to locate such production in the Krasnoyarsk region were already in the Soviet times.
Putin drew attention to the fact that the current policy of US President Donald Trump is to establish such a production in the United States.
"But if their companies, American ones, work here, then this is also a benefit, and a considerable one, because the companies will earn decently, and the corresponding volumes of aluminum will enter the domestic market at absolutely acceptable market prices. There is something to think about here," the Russian leader noted.
Putin also believes that the US should consider joint work on rare earth metals, and in other areas as well.