Mining enterprises of Russia: list and industry directions

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Proud mining enterprises of Russia form the basic industry of the entire economy. The development of enterprises brings the country a stable position and independence from foreign markets.

World ranking

Historically, Russia has been rich in mineral resources. Thanks to the development of mineral resources, the country occupies a leading position in the world market. Large reserves do not always mean unequivocal leadership, for example, the Russian Federation has an overwhelming leadership in the world ranking in terms of iron ore reserves, but their iron content is low. The same situation with titanium, tin, tungsten and many other metal-bearing minerals.

The Norilsk fields differ from the general situation, where the quality of the extracted raw materials is characterized by high rates. Today, large mining enterprises of Russia operate there, where they develop raw materials for the production of nickel (20% of the world market), cob alt (10%), copper (3%). A significant amount of platinum, tellurium, and palladium is supplied to the world market from the Norilsk mines. According to experts, the Norilsk reserves will last for 30 years.

Russia produces 48 types of mineral raw materials, which makes it the absolute leader among 166 mining countries. Most of the market participants operate with a more modest list - up to 10 types of minerals. The share of the Russian mining industry in world production is about 10%, which allows it to occupy the third position in the ranking.

Industry Issues

The main problem of mining in Russia is the lack of systematic exploration. All state projects in this direction have been discontinued since 1966. The current system of subsoil use by private developers does not encourage research. As a result, the threat to the entire industry is growing. Most of the known deposits are already on the verge of depletion of reserves, and new ones are not being discovered and there is no planned scientific exploration of the subsoil.

This situation leads to the dependence of metallurgical plants on external supplies. Aluminum production at domestic enterprises is directly dependent on the components. Bauxite and alumina are required for metal production, and their production is gradually declining. The share of own bauxite is 5-6 million tons per year, alumina - up to 2.9 tons per year, which is not enough for production capacities. The amount of purchased raw materials reaches 5.3 million tons.

In addition to insufficient exploration of the subsoil, there is the problem of abandoned deposits, in the development of which no investment is being made. Total copper reserves in Russia are estimated at 100 milliontons. The largest deposit of this metal is located in Eastern Siberia. According to the data, the Udokan deposit contains about 200 tons of raw materials, but no one is working on it. Other large fields are under development (Oktyabrskoye, Gayskoye, Talnakhskoye), where reserves are coming to an end.

In the bowels of Russia is up to 10 thousand tons of gold, but the situation in the gold mining industry follows the general trend. Industrial development is carried out at the Natalka deposit and in Sukhoi Log (1,500 tons of metal per year). The Far Eastern District accounts for most of the gold mining (up to 58%). There is no development and exploration of new deposits.

The backbone of the country's economy

Mining enterprises in Russia are the main base that forms the country's budget. The contribution to GDP is 60-70%, increasing the export of raw materials and finished products ensures the filling of the stabilization fund of the economy and the state reserves. The mining industry is a complex of industries that includes:

• Extraction of mineral and energy raw materials (oil, gas, peat, uranium, coal, etc.).
• Extraction of ore of ferrous and other metals (iron ore, chromite, vanadium, molybdenum, etc.).
• Non-ferrous metal ore mining (copper, tin, lead, zinc, nickel, etc.).
• Extraction of mining and chemical raw materials (apatite, potash s alts, pyrites, phosphates, etc.).
• Extraction of industrial raw materials for the needs of various industries (graphite, asbestos, chalk, limestone, clay, granite, etc.).
• Extraction of precious, semi-precious, ornamental stones (diamonds, gems, etc.).
• Hydromineral direction (groundwater).

Mining enterprises in Russia are formed on the site of the development of minerals. For full-fledged work and reduction of the cost part, a complex of related enterprises is usually built. Metal ore deposits are accompanied by processing plants, metallurgical plants and a complex of infrastructure facilities, including workers' camps, road junctions, energy complexes to ensure the operation of industrial enterprises.

Large enterprises

Today, there are 24 large mining enterprises. Geography covers the whole country. Siberia and the Far East play the leading role in the industry.

What are the mining companies in Russia? The list is below:

• AK Alrosa (PJSC) - located in the Republic of Sakha, the direction of activity is diamond mining, the share in the domestic market is 95% of the total volume of mined precious stone.
• Artel of Prospectors "Amur". The company specializes in the mining of platinum, palladium.
• JSC Atomredmetzoloto. The enterprise specializes in the extraction of uranium ores.
• Goroblagodatskoye Mining Administration. The company is engaged in the development of a complex of iron ore deposits.
• JSC Evrazruda, the field of activity is the development of five iron ore deposits.
• Kovdorslyuda LLC. Currently in the processbankruptcy.
• Kola Metallurgical Company JSC. Field of activity - mining of non-ferrous metal ores, metallurgy.
• Metalloinvest, the basis of the enterprise is the extraction of iron ore, ferrous metallurgy.
• Mechel PJSC (coal mining, production of non-ferrous and ferrous metals, coking coal, thermal coal).
• Priargunskoye PCU. Specialization is the development of uranium and molybdenum-uranium deposits in the Trans-Baikal Territory.
• OK RUSAL (alumina and bauxite mining, aluminum production).
• Russian Platinum. Directions of activity - mining of platinum, palladium, eolota.
• MMC Norilsk Nickel (mining of nickel, copper, palladium and other metals, non-ferrous metallurgy).
• PJSC "Severstal", one of the largest enterprises in Russia, the field of activity is the extraction of coal, coking coal, the extraction and enrichment of iron ore, a complex of metallurgical and mining and processing plants.
• JSC SUAL (alumina, primary aluminum, aluminum-based alloys, etc.).
• ZAO Holding Sibplaz. The interests of the company lie in the mining, chemical, metallurgical, construction industries. Research and scientific work is underway.
• JSC Silvinit (potassium mining, production of potash fertilizers, food and industrial s alt, etc.).
• Joint venture "Mongolrostsvetmet". Specialization - mining of gold, fluorite ore, iron ore, geological exploration.
• Erdenet GOK (development of molybdenum and copper ore deposits, processing plant,smelter).
• CHEK-SU (mining of manganese ores of the Usinsk deposit, construction of a mining and processing plant).
• JSC "YATEK", field of activity - production of hydrocarbons, gas, geological exploration.
• JSC "Kaliningrad Amber Combine" (industrial extraction of amber, jewelry).

Russian mining enterprises work in conjunction with processing and manufacturing enterprises.

Vacancies

There is always work in the largest sector of the country's economy. Many seek to get into the mining enterprises of Russia. Vacancies are almost constantly open for drivers of trucks and specialized vehicles, general workers, there is a constant shortage of highly qualified welders. The list of vacancies is constantly updated, which gives a chance to all candidates to get the desired position.

The main part of the enterprises is concentrated in the northern regions of Russia, where working conditions are very difficult. Employers, in addition to high wages, offer a special schedule - a shift work method. The shift can stretch from 15 days to six months, after which the employee receives full pay for the entire time. Those who have already worked in this mode speak positively about both the experience gained and the salary.