Mining site: the first facilities of the rare metals cluster in Siberia will be launched in 2027.

Russia is negotiating to involve key countries of the Global South in the creation of a cluster of critical metals in Siberia. This was stated by the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Sergei Shoigu, at a meeting with representatives of the scientific community in Krasnoyarsk. According to him, the new cluster is necessary for Russia to gain leadership in the sixth technological order. Promising research centers are being formed for this purpose, and businesses are also showing interest. Experts believe that the emergence of the cluster will require significant investments, but will strengthen the economic sovereignty of the Russian Federation.

Shoigu's visit to the regions of Siberia

The trip of Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu to the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Khakassia, although consistent with his long-standing work on the development of Siberia, was of particular importance. The central topic of the visit was the discussion of the creation of a cluster for the extraction and processing of rare earth metals in the Angara-Yenisei macroregion.

In a recent article for Izvestia, Sergei Shoigu stated that it is vital for Russia to create a sovereign industry independent of China and the United States, as well as to develop integrated projects covering the full production cycle — from mining to final products. Currently, there are at least 15 types of REM in our country, and the total reserves at 18 studied deposits exceed 28 million tons. Despite this, most of these minerals are imported into the Russian Federation.

The cluster of deep processing of critical metals in the Angara-Yenisei macroregion should change the situation. Sergei Shoigu inspected the site for the creation of an innovative scientific and technological center for the future cluster. He also met with Anatoly Seryshev, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Siberian Federal District, and Mikhail Kotyukov, Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Then the Secretary of the Security Council talked with representatives of the scientific community, because they are the ones who will have to solve complex issues of resource extraction. Among the participants of the meeting was Sergey Karaganov, scientific director of the Faculty of World Economics and World Politics at the Higher School of Economics, a well—known advocate of the "Sibirization" of Russia, that is, the shift of the economic, cultural and spiritual center of the country to the East.

Sergei Shoigu started with a global one. According to him, the purpose of the new cluster is to create a raw material component base for Russia to gain technological leadership in the markets of the sixth technological order. Recall that this stage is based on the use of AI technologies, BigData, unmanned systems and space monitoring. That's what rare earth metals are for.

The launch of the first facilities of the cluster of deep processing of critical metals in the Angara-Yenisei macroregion is scheduled for 2027, said the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. The project management has signed seven cooperation agreements with major players such as Rosatom, Rostec and Rusal.

— Negotiations are underway to attract new partners, including from key countries of the Global South. The new economic model, which is replacing the free market of the 90s, is based on knowledge centers that are closely related to production," Shoigu stressed.

It is also planned to launch the first scientific research engineering center in 2027. A year later, the center for research and development of new materials and substances for energy storage systems will start operating. In the future, an engineering center for the extraction and production of heavy rare earth metals will be established. And several centers and laboratories related to artificial intelligence, Shoigu concluded.

The governors of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Irkutsk Region have taken initiatives from their regions. The head of the Irkustka region, Igor Kobzev, proposed to include the region in the cluster project, since 11 large deposits are located on its territory, in particular, we are talking about reserves of niobium and tantalum. The meeting in Krasnoyarsk ended with the signing of a roadmap for the implementation of projects and activities in areas of cooperation between the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Mendeleev Valley Development Center Foundation.

A new cluster for the extraction of REM in Siberia

The experts interviewed by Izvestia agree that the cluster project for the extraction of REM in the Angara-Yenisei macroregion has broad prospects.

The region does have significant proven reserves, including rare metals such as titanium, zirconium, molybdenum, rhenium, tellurium, and others, as well as rare earth metals. Moreover, it is possible to extract iron, nepheline, fluorspar ores, silver, gold, and platinoids. With an integrated approach and the development of appropriate infrastructure, both transport, energy, and production facilities for extraction and enrichment, this potential can be realized, Andrey Goliney, director of the chemical technology unit of JSC Rosatom Nauka, the managing organization of JSC Giredmet, told Izvestia.

— We can say with high confidence that all the necessary technologies are available in our country. To begin with, during the Soviet era, an industry was created that held leading positions in various metals. Unfortunately, the collapse of the USSR interrupted cooperative ties, as many industries ended up in independent republics. This legacy has not been lost. In addition, up to the present time, work continues, and a new reserve of technologies is already being formed, which, by the way, have export potential," the expert emphasized.

In an interview with Izvestia, independent expert Alexander Dom confirmed that the project's resource base is indeed significant.

— There is potential, but the projects are capital intensive, with long investment cycles. It is wrong to evaluate them solely as raw materials: the end—to-end economy depends primarily on subsequent processing, and not only on extraction," he said.

Andrey Goliney also believes that the main problem for the implementation of these technologies lies in the creation of equipment and the construction of enterprises. It is worth noting that over the past 25-30 years, not many large-scale and high-tech industries have been created.

— The volume of production will be determined by two factors. The first is the economic feasibility and the scale required in this regard. Secondly, the ability to ensure sales, or rather consumption. If the volume of consumption, that is, the application in various industries, is not provided, then most likely the project will not take place. It's a difficult balance: we produce up to 1 ton of scandium, but there is no consumption, but we have consumption of germanium, but there is no production," Goliney drew attention.

According to Alexander Domov, at the launch stage for each project, we can talk about 2-5 thousand tons per year. Further increases only make sense when higher levels of separation and recycling lines are introduced. For Russia, the key effect of creating a cluster is the formation of a stable raw material and technological base for industries sensitive to the supply of rare earth metals: energy—efficient electric drives, electric vehicles, control systems, and defense applications.

Andrey Goliney believes that in any case, the launch of such a project will find a positive response and will affect the attitude towards Russia in the global market. It is possible to secure high positions only with a comprehensive and consistent project implementation. It should not be forgotten that since the mid-80s this is the sixth attempt to implement the state program on rare earth metals. Given the forecasts and the high current turbulence of the market, there is every chance to take its rightful place in it and ensure its own sovereignty.