Afrikandskomu mine rare earth metals threatens repeated auction

23.11.2015 Federal Agency for Subsoil Use was scheduled a public auction. The main lot acted Afrikandskoe mine rare earth metals. Auction in the Murmansk region on the proposed sale of its development rights. However, the event did not take place. This was the reason for appeal to the authorities in the region to the Government of the Russian Federation. The request concerns the re-auction, as announced by Governor Marina Kovtun. The area of the deposit of rare earth metals is 1.6 km ^2. Inferred resources include iron ore complex in the amount of 626.196 million. Tons. Also in the titanium dioxide 52,179,000. Tons, niobium oxide and titanium 303 000 tonnes. The rare earth metal is supposed to 863,000 tons. Afrikandskoe mine is located south-east of Lake Imandra. Near the railway station Afrikanda. There are rail connections to seaports, Kandalaksha and Murmansk.

M. Kovtun suggests that the deposit development project is very promising for the regional economy. However, against the backdrop of the macroeconomic environment auction did not take place. At the same time the need for rare-earth raw materials for the industry of Russia is quite high. Therefore, it was decided to appeal to Dmitry Medvedev, hoping to re-auction. Date when the request is granted, will be in 2016.

The starting price of the license amounted to 263 million. RUB. Its validity was assumed for 25 years. Regulations define the beginning of the auction geodetic research. Since the registration of the license surveying services should start no later than one and a half years. The order of the first auction site Dmitry Medvedev signed in June 2015.

This is not the first attempt to conduct field research. For the first time on development plans we tried to introduce into life three decades ago. However, the work has not been started. The reason was the discovery of the radioactive thorium in the raw materials. Only in 2000 was obtained by processing raw materials deposits. It found the specialists of the Institute of Chemistry of the Mining Institute KSC RAS. They also gave their opinion about the alleged ore reserves. Volume of study subject reaches 626.2 million. Tons. They were evaluated and raw material conditions of occurrence. According to them, the development of the deposit suggests Afrikandskogo open ore mining.