Strategic goals in subsoil use – expansion of geography of projects in remote territories and work with hard-to-recover reserves

“Investments in geological exploration are investments in the stability of the state budget. In 2016, the financing of geological exploration exceeded 320 billion roubles. The share of public investment was 8%.” Such data was shared by the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia Sergey Donskoy. “Russia’s natural resources are an integral component of both the ecological and economic system. And on their efficient and rational use the prospects for the development of the Russian economy and the quality of life of our citizens depend,” the press-service of the Ministry of Natural Resources said. in the last 3 years, the volume of investments in geology in the world decreased more than 2.5 times. As a result, Russia’s share in global exploration increased by more than 60% for solid minerals. The Minister noted that in 2017 it is expected, at least, to maintain this level.
The growth of investments in the industry led to the opening in Russia of more than 225 hydrocarbon deposits and about 310 deposits of solid minerals over the past 5 years. The increase in oil reserves was 1.2 times higher than the production level, natural gas – nearly 1.5 times, key solid minerals: molybdenum – 4.5 times, nickel – almost 3 times, copper – 2 times, gold – 1,3.
In 2016, only from auctions and tenders the state budget received more than 55 billion roubles.
Today, the indicators of the subprogram “Reproduction of the mineral and raw materials base” have been updated, and the draft of the Strategy of the mineral and raw material security up to 2030 has been developed. For the first time in 30 years, a new classification of hydrocarbon reserves has been introduced. Along with that, the system of preparation and coordination of technical and design documentation has been built up. One-time update of more than 5 thousand licenses has been completed. The manifestations of minerals have been excluded from the subsoil sites of federal significance.

Press Service of the MENR RT