Despite having the world's largest reserves of mineral resources, Russia lacks complete production chains for several strategic minerals – alumina, tungsten, ferroniobium, and others – needed to sustain the demands of its military-industrial complex.
Source: a report by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU)
Details: After 2022, the Kremlin announced plans to increase the extraction of scarce raw materials. However, according to ESCU's assessment, most projects will not deliver industrial-scale results before 2035, creating a window of opportunity for external economic pressure.
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China remains the largest supplier of strategic minerals to Russia. Between April 2024 and March 2025, Beijing supplied 1.6 million tonnes of alumina worth US$1 billion (31.5% of Russia's total mineral imports by value), 240 tonnes of tungsten worth US$9.8 million (97%), 3.8 tonnes of tantalum worth US$4 million (30%), and 1,732 tonnes of niobium products worth US$64 million (58%).
