Russia’s largest secondary lead production plant Fregat LLC has suspended operations, Kommersant newspaper reports.
The plant, located in the Moscow region, had to suspend its work as it failed to receive an export license from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade. Lead producers must obtain a license for the export of raw metals from 15 May until 15 November.
“So far, the suspension of operations is planned for one month. We will see what will happen with licensing then. We will be looking for export markets,” representatives of the plant said.
Domestic demand for lead is extremely low, the newspaper explains. Fregat produces up to 40,000 tonnes of lead and lead alloy, which comes up to about 25% of all lead produced in Russia.
The newspaper’s sources point out that the Ministry of Industry and Trade offered Russian plants to look for new partners among friendly states, however, there is no point in holding such negotiations without an export license. Possible partner states may include Turkey (which purchased about 7.5% of all lead exported from Russia in 2021), China and Hong Kong (4.2%), as well as Serbia (1.9%).