Russia proposes resource alliances in subsoil use to Africa- Russian natural resources minister
MOSCOW. Nov 11 (Interfax) - Russia has proposed resource cooperation in the management of subsurface resources to African countries, Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov said at a plenary session as part of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi on Saturday.
Russia has resources of almost all the known types of minerals, Kozlov said. "We extract 118 of 228 types. Russia is the world leader in many of them. Gas, diamonds, nickel, cobalt, gold, silver, iron, - we are the first on Earth in their reserves. We are in the world's top three in the amounts of coal, oil, copper, tin, rare-earth metals, and lithium. At present, Russia has one of the best competences and capabilities in the world when it comes to planning and conducting geological surveys, development of fields, including searching and preparing the raw material base of subsoil waters," the minister said.
Russia and Africa have a lot in common, and a strong foundation of cooperation was laid down as early as in the Soviet times, he said. "Overall, we have the same tracks of an interstate dialogue on natural resources with all African countries. As for the subsoil use, Africa has tremendous prospects. The continent has one of the world's highest potentials in resources and reserves of critical mineral raw materials. And Russian specialists have helped [Africa] and are still helping [it] to unlock its potential. Our companies have several projects on the continent," Kozlov said.
He used the RosGeo company as an example. "Specialists of this company are forecasting and searching for fields in Benin, Sudan, Djibouti, Angola, and the Central African Republic. Another six project proposals in Zimbabwe, Algeria, Chad, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and Mali are in development. We have enough forces and competences, this is why we are ready to expand the geography [of cooperation] on the continent. Other Russian geological institutions are also interested in working in African countries. In addition to searching for minerals, they could help studying compositions and properties of minerals and ores," Kozlov said.
"One of the options Russia is proposing now is resource alliances using which we would have a real opportunity to softly manage world markets. Russia controls 55% of the world's reserves of diamonds, 46% of palladium, 23% of gold. Together with the Republic of South Africa, we control 83% of the world's production of platinum and 77% of palladium, 76% of cobalt with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 71% of phosphorus with Morocco, 59% of diamonds with Botswana, Angola and South Africa, and 25% of zirconium with Mozambique," he said.