Russia to launch large-scale lithium production in 2030

Russia plans to produce at least 60,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate in 2030, as Moscow seeks to reduce its import dependency and boost the production of high-capacity electric batteries. Lithium and other critical minerals, including rare earth metals, have gained global attention in recent months, as U.S. President Donald Trump aimed to counter China’s dominance in the sector by offering production deals to Ukraine and Russia. Lithium, a metal essential for electric vehicle production, is included on the list of 50 minerals deemed critical by the U.S. Geological Survey. Russia reported having 3.5 million tons of lithium oxide reserves.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated Russia’s lithium reserves at about 1 million tons in 2024, the world’s 14th largest. Lithium oxide contains about one-third of pure lithium, and lithium carbonate contains about 20% of pure lithium.