Preparing to Sell Marcasite Ore Deposit in Krasnoyarsk Territory
The Arctic Zone: Russia's Treasure Trove of Valuable Minerals. Here's a lowdown on Russia's plans to tap into the riches of the Arctic, particularly focusing on the Krasnoyarsk region.
Boom Time for the Arctic
Russia's Arctic region is brimming with nearly 95% of the country's platinum group metals reserves, 77% of apatite ore, 76% of rare earth metals, 73% of nickel, and 55% of cobalt. Major gas deposits like Urdomoi, Tambey, and Schukman lie in this chilly corner of the globe, along with significant oil reserves [1].
Riches Galore
Key mineral-rich regions include the Murmansk Oblast with its apatites, lithium, rare earth metals, circonium, and titanium, and Yakutia with its diamond mines. Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug offers substantial oil reserves too. Not to be outshone, the Krasnoyarsk region boasts over 2.6 billion tons of oil and gas, and is a hub for copper-nickel ore mining [1].
Onward with Exploration
Geological surveying in the northern territories continues, as mentioned by Minister Alexander Kozlov in the context of the federal project "Geology: Revival of the Legend" [1]. In the Krasnoyarsk region alone, the discovery of Romonovskoe coal deposit with a reserves of 5 million tons was announced in 2024 [1].
Licensing the Gold Rush
Since 2023, programs for licensing have been in place in Arctic regions to foster the development of mining and processing of mineral resources [2]. As of now, auctions have taken place on 64 plots, with plans to issue licenses for another 176 by 2035 [2]. In 2025, auctions will take place for 30 "nature larders" in Yakutia and the Murmansk Oblast, rich in titanium, phosphorus, tin, tungsten, and other minerals [2].
Alexander Kozlov announced that a location for manganese ore, the Porozhinskoe deposit with reserves of 29,460 tons, is also set for auction in the Krasnoyarsk region [2]. Porozhinskoe, located in the Enisei-East Siberian metal-nomatic province, accounts for 12.7% of Russia's total manganese ore reserves [3].
Manganese, crucial for battery production, glass manufacturing, and the steel industry, is a valuable but scarce commodity in Russia [3]. Besides Porozhinskoe, manganese ore deposits have been discovered in Western Siberia, Yakutia, and Novaya Zemlya [3].
The natural resources of the Krasnoyarsk region and other northern Russian territories ensure Russia's mineral independence [1].
News of continued exploration and development in Russia's Arctic regions, particularly the Krasnoyarsk region, reveals a significant push towards environmental-science and industrial growth. In light of this, the finance sector is eagerly monitoring the ongoing licensing programs for mineral resources, with potential auctions for manganese deposits, crucial for battery production, glass manufacturing, and the steel industry, set to take place in the near future.
