Russia is accelerating the creation of a full cycle of rare earth metal (REM) production, which is critically necessary for electronics, the defense industry, and "green" energy. As First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov stated in an interview with "Kommersant", after the collapse of the Soviet cooperation chain, which was tied to processing in Estonia, the country was left without its own separation into oxides. Today, China dominates the market, although Russia ranks second in the world in terms of REM reserves.
At one point, high prices for rare earth metals created prerequisites for investors with technologies to enter, but after their fall, projects ceased to be profitable. Now the state has taken on the role of the locomotive.
Since the issue is related to national security, we will definitely implement these projects to obtain all the necessary nomenclature for oxides.
Projects for the extraction of rare metals are being launched. The closest to industrial launch is SUEK's project for germanium extraction: raw material production already reaches 50 kg per month, and industrial-grade concentrate is expected to be produced this year. Also, in 2026, a mining and processing complex for beryllium extraction at the Ermakovskoye deposit will start operating. These are the first industrial projects to reach the launch stage after a long break.
An important signal for the industry was the entry of gold mining companies into REM projects. Manturov called the inclusion of, in particular, the Areal company, a positive trend. The competencies of gold miners in geological exploration, processing of complex ores, and implementation of capital-intensive projects in hard-to-reach regions are in demand for the development of the rare and rare earth metals sector. It is expected that other leaders of the mining and metallurgical complex will follow their example.
Rare earth metals are 17 elements of the periodic table, without which the production of high-tech products is impossible: from magnets for electric motors to lasers and fiber optics. Own production of REM oxides is the basis of technological sovereignty in key industries.