26 Jul 2022 09:18

Russia launches new neon production, ready to export purified inert gases for microelectronics - Russian minister

MOSCOW. July 26 (Interfax) - New production of high-purity neon used in the production of microelectronics for smartphones, card and other equipment has been launched in the Bauman Moscow State Technical University in Russia.

It is planned to reach a production level of some 70,000 cubic meters of neon a year by the end of 2022, which will increase Russia's share on the global market of this inert gas to 10% (the current share is one percent), Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said at a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the government on Monday.

The production of neon in the new facility should increase 2.5 times in 2023, as a result of which Russia will be able to cover up to one-fourth of the global need for neon. It will substitute the volumes that were previously supplied by Ukrainian enterprises, Manturov said.

Russia will be ready to take a similar share for xenon, crypton and other inert gases used in the production of chips, he said.

The facility created by the Bauman Moscow State Technical University will use domestic resources of a neon-helium mixture, which are produced on metallurgical air-fractioning facilities, Manturov said. Almost one-third of the global resources for neon production are located in Russia, he said.

Russia is ready to discuss with foreign partners the supply of end products, pure gases made from Russian resources, and is expecting relevant requests from foreign partners, Manturov said.

In late May 2022, the Russian government approved a decree under which restrictions on the export of inert gases from Russia in the form of mandatory permission from the government at the Industry and Trade Ministry's request will stay in effect until the end of 2022. Russia is one of the largest suppliers of these products on the global market with a share of some 30%. The Industry and Trade Ministry earlier said only some five percent of the inert gases produced in Russia are consumed domestically.