ST. PETERSBURG, May 22. /TASS/. Russia has enough reserves of rare metals, such as niobium and tantalum, to cover domestic needs for the next 100 to 400 years, Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Subsoil Use (Rosnedra) Oleg Kazakov said.
"Resource analysis is critically important. If we extend our assessment beyond rare earth elements, we find that most rare metals, such as niobium and tantalum, are abundantly available. When benchmarked against the annual consumption of the Russian economy, we’re looking at 100, 200, and even 400 years. In large part, our reserves are sufficient," he stated.
Kazakov emphasized that for such metals, the primary task is not additional geological exploration but rather selecting optimal development strategies and advancing extraction technologies.
At the same time, he noted that there are categories of mineral resources for which current reserves are insufficient. These include the so-called high-liquidity and scarce raw materials, such as manganese, chromium, and uranium.
"For these types of raw materials, we are conducting aggressive geological exploration, we are merging development stages, investing heavily, and engaging in high-risk projects, because those risks are justified. This effort includes measures to incentivize subsoil users and federal geological surveys are actively focusing on these materials," he stressed.