Russian steel and metals production

Thu 26 Jun 2008

Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter behind Saudi Arabia and supplier of a quarter of Europe's gas needs, is also one of the world's largest steel and metals producers.

The following is a list of some of the metals produced by Russia and the country's world ranking:

STEEL

Russia is the world's fourth-largest steel producer, behind China, Japan and the United States.

It produced 72.2 million tonnes in 2007, or 5.3 percent of global production of 1.34 billion tonnes.

Russia's biggest steel producers are Severstal, Evraz Group, Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works and Novolipetsk Steel.

Source: International Iron and Steel Institute

IRON ORE

Russia is the world's fifth-largest iron ore miner, behind China, Brazil, Australia and India.

It produced 110 million tonnes in 2007, or 5.8 percent of global production of approximately 1.9 billion tonnes.

Russia's reserve base, however, is the largest in the world in terms of iron content: 31 billion tonnes, or 19 percent of global reserves of 160 billion tonnes based on iron content.

Russia's largest iron ore producer is Metalloinvest.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey

GOLD

Russia is the world's sixth-largest gold miner, behind China, South Africa, Australia, the United States and Peru. It produced 169.2 tonnes of gold in 2007, or 6.8 percent of global mined gold output of 2,476 tonnes.

Russia's gold reserves, however, are second only to South Africa's. The Russian Gold Industrialists Union says the country plans to raise production to 225 tonnes by 2015 as many large mines in Siberia and the Far East come on stream.

Russia's largest gold miner is Polyus Gold, which produces around a quarter of the country's gold and is the world's fourth-biggest gold company by reserves.

Source: GFMS Ltd consultancy

NICKEL

Russia is the world's largest nickel producer. It produced 278,400 tonnes of refined nickel in 2007, or 19.3 percent of global refined nickel production of 1.44 million tonnes.

Norilsk Nickel produces the vast majority of the country's nickel.

Source: International Nickel Study Group

PALLADIUM

Russia is the world's largest producer of palladium, a precious metal used in jewelry and vehicle exhausts. It produced an estimated 99 tonnes in 2007, or 44 percent of global output of 225 tonnes. Second-placed South Africa produced an estimated 83 tonnes, or 37 percent of the world total.

Norilsk Nickel is the main producer.

Source: Raw Materials Group

PLATINUM

Russia is the world's second-largest producer of platinum, behind South Africa. It produced an estimated 30 tonnes in 2007, or 14 percent of global production of 215 tonnes. South Africa produced 171 tonnes, or 79.5 percent of the world total.

Norilsk Nickel is the main producer.

Source: Raw Materials Group

ALUMINIUM

Russia is the world's second-largest producer of primary aluminum, behind China. It produced nearly 4 million tonnes in 2007, or 10.5 percent of global production of 37.7 million tonnes.

United Company RUSAL produces all of Russia's primary aluminum and is the largest producer in the world.

Source: Raw Materials Group.

(Compiled by Robin Paxton in Moscow and Karen Norton in London)

Source Reuters

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