While Russia has significant mineral wealth, according to the underlying article it actually imports lithium—the vital metal in battery and semiconductor manufacturing which is also essential to nuclear power—primarily from Argentina and Chile.
Argentina and Chile have cut off shipments of lithium to Russia
The caveat “if true" definitely deserves maximum emphasis here, but if the facts presented in this article are correct, Russia’s strategic posture is far weaker than many might realize.
Russia is critically dependent on the import of lithium raw materials . Suffice it to say that in 2019, the volume of purchases of this metal amounted to more than 61 tons, of which 41 tons came from supplies from Chile and another 14 tons were added by imports from Argentina. In third place among our suppliers is China with an extremely modest figure of six tons. That is, as it is easy to understand, the demarche of the Latin American countries, which are clearly fulfilling the insistent wishes of their northern neighbor, can not only impede the expansion of the Russian presence in the global nuclear market, but also, in the medium term, call into question the reliability of the operation of nuclear reactors inside Russia itself.
If the assessment is correct, it underscores an economic reality that was understood as far back as Adam Smith and Wealth Of Nations: export of natural resources is a relatively low level of economic development, and a problematic source of national wealth.
For Russia, this would mean that decoupling from the West carries a much higher price tag than might be initially estimated.
Perhaps, but then why is RIA Novosti running with this?
That was what caught my eye: this is off the https://ria.ru website -- the stuff produced for domestic consumption within Russia.
If it's the real deal Russia is in a commodities quandary. If it's fake news someone in the Kremlin is giving the Russian people some interesting misdirection.
Possibly... assuming China has the lithium to spare. Historically China has supplied 10% of Russia's lithium demand. A tenfold increase in a short period would stress any resource provider.
I am reluctant to get too far ahead of a very sparse presentation of factual assertions, so it is far from certain that this would be a "show stopper". At the same time, lithium is undeniably a metal with outsized strategic importance to any advanced nation, and the loss of 90% of its current lithium supply lines would be at a minimum highly impactful to Russia in several regards.
That this appeared in Russian media makes it worth following.
Interesting. But 61 tons per year is 3 semi loads, surely Russia can buy it on a black market elsewhere for 2x the price
Perhaps, but then why is RIA Novosti running with this?
That was what caught my eye: this is off the https://ria.ru website -- the stuff produced for domestic consumption within Russia.
If it's the real deal Russia is in a commodities quandary. If it's fake news someone in the Kremlin is giving the Russian people some interesting misdirection.
Either way, it's significant.
Probably not a show stopper. China will provide via SA.
Possibly... assuming China has the lithium to spare. Historically China has supplied 10% of Russia's lithium demand. A tenfold increase in a short period would stress any resource provider.
I am reluctant to get too far ahead of a very sparse presentation of factual assertions, so it is far from certain that this would be a "show stopper". At the same time, lithium is undeniably a metal with outsized strategic importance to any advanced nation, and the loss of 90% of its current lithium supply lines would be at a minimum highly impactful to Russia in several regards.
That this appeared in Russian media makes it worth following.