Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. Photo: Valery Sharifulin/TASS
The Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use have agreed on strategic cooperation in the development of the Russian mineral resources complex. And now they will work together to stimulate the influx of private investment in geological exploration and development of deposits. This was stated at a press conference at EEF 2023 RDIF General Director Kirill Dmitriev.
– In fact, we are talking about creating a kind of extra-budgetary fund that will invest in geological exploration. This will make it possible to carry out more geological exploration work, attract new technologies and ultimately lead to the fact that there will be more high-quality deposits in Russia, he explained to reporters at a press conference on the sidelines of the forum. Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
According to him, Russia has huge deposits of various natural resources, but businesses often do not have enough money for geological exploration, as well as for high-quality examination of profitability and further development. This will help meet the growing needs of the Russian economy and increase its competitiveness. At the same time, investments will go, among other things, to the search and production of scarce strategic types of raw materials. This will, among other things, reduce dependence on imports.
– There is a pool of first companies and geological exploration projects that we will begin to finance. We will announce them before the end of the year. We are talking about a significant increase in funding for geological exploration in Russia,” explained Kirill Dmitriev.
In addition, the departments want to make work with reserves of mineral resources more efficient. It is planned to introduce advanced digital technologies in the field of geological exploration, identifying mineral reserves more effectively. And thereby increase the quality and investment value of geological information. In particular, it is planned to create a national system for managing reserves of mineral raw materials and a system for mutual recognition of examination (audit) of reserves at the international level.
– Our task is to ensure long-term stability of the Russian economy. Despite the rapidly changing economic conditions, Russia remains one of the leaders in reserves of the main types of mineral raw materials critical to the global economy. New mechanisms for attracting extra-budgetary investments will increase the investment attractiveness of the Russian mineral resource complex for the sustainable development of Russia, he added. Evgeny Petrov, head of the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use (Rosnedra).
