Russia has huge reserves of rare earth metals. They will be enough to cover the country’s needs for years to come. The head of Rosnedra Oleg Kazanov spoke about this at a meeting in the Federation Council.
Reserves of rare earth metals in Russia are estimated at 28.5 million tons. At the same time, the country needs no more than 2 million tons per year. This means that the resources will last for a long time. In terms of reserves of rare earth metals, Russia is second only to China.
Most rare earth metals are mined in the Murmansk region. There are 18 deposits there. The largest of them are Karnasurt and Kedykvyrpakh. They account for more than 14% of all Russian reserves.
Nepheline syenites and malignites of the Lovozero massif are especially valuable. They are rich in eudialyte. And more than 60% of all reserves of rare earth metals are concentrated in apatite nepheline ores of the Khibiny massif.
In industry, cerium (35% of the total requirement), lanthanum (30%) and neodymium (20%) are most often used. These metals are needed for wind power, defense, medicine and oil refining. The demand for heavy lanthanides is also growing – they are important for high technology.
Russia not only provides itself with rare earth metals, but can also become a major exporter. The development of this industry will help strengthen the economy and support key industries.
Source: dprom.online
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