Russia: Gold exploration analysis

In 2016, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation began preparation of anti-stress measures to support the subsoil users willing to invest in the expansion of the mineral resource base through geological exploration. The head of Ministry of Natural Resources Sergei Donskoy predicts that in the current year the exploration in the world and in Russia in particular will fall by 10 - 20% due to volatile prices for mineral resources on markets. But the state can’t afford companies to stop geological survey, especially in the field of solid mineral production: in the case of stop of the geological exploration already ten years later it will be possible to talk about the lack of resources for the metallurgical complex of the country.

To expand and deepen

Despite the Ministry of Natural Resources’ forecasts, the companies that work for the long term, continue to search for new deposits. The tool is launch of the application principle to areas for research: at the request of the companies the state allow them to carry out exploration in areas of potential mineral deposits without auctions and competitions. "For two years, since the principle was introduced, the subsoil users filed 746 applications for high-risk exploration works. Upon review, 305 licenses have been already issued, given that prior to the introduction of the bid principle we issued only 25 licenses per year, "- emphasizes Sergei Donskoy.