Three large lithium deposits will fully cover growing needs of Russia - Abramchenko

MOSCOW. June 21 (Interfax) - Three large lithium deposits, which subsoil users will receive access to in 2023 from the unallocated subsoil fund, will fully cover Russia's growing demand for this raw material, Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko said following a briefing meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of the government.

Development of the most high-tech industries, such as, for example, microelectronics, aerospace and production of energy storage devices require high-quality minerals, she said. Work on organization of subsoil use is currently geared towards specific requests by the Industry & Trade Ministry, which is responsible for the formation of demand inside the country for strategic raw materials, Abramchenko said.

"We have drawn up and approved a new list of the main types of strategic minerals, which has not been updated for more than a quarter of a century. The nomenclature was expanded from 29 to 55 types of raw materials. We stepped up preparations for the licensing of existing deposits of strategic raw materials. These are about 30 fields in the unallocated subsoil fund. We have already issued licenses for exploration and production at the Kolmozerskoye and Polmostundrovskoye lithium deposits in the Murmansk region," she said.

"It is the Kolmozerskoe deposit that is considered the largest and most promising. In addition to lithium, it contains reserves of niobium, tantalum, and beryllium. The development of the deposit will accelerate the construction of a full-cycle industry: from ore to the production of energy storage devices for the nuclear industry, space industry, transportation, and activities in the Arctic zone of Russia. Furthermore, on the instructions of the head of state, we are preparing to license the Tastyg lithium deposit in Tyva. According to experts' estimates, these deposits fully cover our industry's growing lithium feedstock needs," Abramchenko said.