Published on 5/30/2026
Russia intends to begin extracting lithium on a pilot scale this year from the Polmostondrovskoye field in the Murmansk region in the north of the country, in a step that paves the way for the launch of the first local production of the strategic metal widely used in the manufacture of batteries and electric cars.
Russian Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov said, in an interview with the Russian TASS agency, that experimental extraction operations will take place as part of geological exploration work carried out by the investor responsible for developing the field located on the Kola Peninsula.
Kozlov explained that Russia has not yet begun industrial production of lithium, indicating that preparations are underway to launch this activity during the coming period.
He added that the “Kolmozerskoye” field, also located on the Kola Peninsula, is a candidate to become the first industrial lithium production project in Russia, according to the ministry’s estimates.
Lithium is a vital mineral for the technology and clean energy sectors, as it is mainly used in the manufacture of electric car batteries, energy storage systems and electronic devices.
The Russian move comes at a time of increasing global competition to secure supplies of strategic minerals needed for the transition to clean energy, amid Moscow’s efforts to develop its domestic resources and reduce dependence on imports in vital industrial sectors.
The Russian Minister’s statements came ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, scheduled for June 3-6, which this year focuses on the ongoing transformations in the global economy and the formulation of new models for economic development.
