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Canada, Morocco, the USA, and China.
Historically, Russia has supplied about 13% of the EU's fertiliser imports between 2018 and 2021. Although this share dipped to 8-9% in 2022-2023, recent trends indicate an increasing dependency. The EU initially included Russian fertilisers in its fifth sanctions package in April 2022, but these restrictions were lifted in autumn 2022.
Projections suggest that Russian fertiliser exports could reach 44 million tonnes by the end of 2024, marking a 10% increase from 2023, underscoring Russia's critical role in the global fertiliser supply chain.
9.2.14 Mines and Minerals - other
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.
Russia took the leading position in nickel, aluminum and titanium products manufacturing last year, President Vladimir Putin said. "The mining and metals complex continues to develop confidently. Thus, according to estimates of experts, Russia was first in high-grade nickel production, second in aluminum production, third in titanium products manufacturing, and fifth by steel casting volumes last year," the head of state said.
235 RUSSIA Country Report August 2024 www.intellinews.com