By John Helmer in Moscow Uralkali keeps the initiative as potash breaks $600. A series of Russian government decisions this month, awarding new mining licences at a premium valuation; imposing export duties; and regulating the domestic price of fertilizers for the next five years has triggered fresh forecasts for the direction of Russian potash producers, […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, March 20th, 2008
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IMF joins UK High Court in corruption investigations of Tajik aluminium dealing. “Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York”. That’s the opening of the most vicious dynastic bloodbath on the English stage, spoken by the nastiest of Shakespeare’s royal villains — the hump-back plotter who becomes Richard […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, March 20th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia has been locked out of the largest nuclear power contract ever prepared in Africa, despite two years of promises from the South African government that it would invite Russia’s nuclear industry to join a competitive tender with the French and American companies, Areva and Westinghouse. The lockoutappears to be […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, March 18th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Icebreaking is the key to the expansion of energy and mineral shipments in the Arctic. It is a little early for Russia to begin producing bananas and other soft, sun-dependent commodities. But depending on which global warming forecast you read, there may come a time when it will be cost-efficient […]

by John Helmer - Monday, March 17th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Norilsk/BHP Billiton “alliance for development of huge Russian nickel deposit raises some questions. Norilsk Nickel, Russia’s leading mining company, has announced that it has won a regional auction for exploration and mining rights to Russia’s largest undeveloped nickel prospect. The Iisko-Tagulsk deposit, located in the Irkutsk region of southeastern Siberia, […]

by John Helmer - Saturday, March 15th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s new parliament reopens debate on proposed limits on foreign mining. A new round of debate on proposals to regulate access by foreign mining companies to the Russian resource sector has begun, this time with a set of legislative amendments that were submitted to the newly elected State Duma last […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, March 13th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Nesis considers chrome sell-out in the most lucrative, short mining career on record A press leak in Moscow on Monday, followed by a confirming announcement from Mechel, the Russian stainless steel producer, have indicated that Igor Zyuzin, Mechel’s controlling shareholder, is trying to buy out chrome producer Oriel Resources, owned […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Potanin’s cash and shares deal puts Deripaska in the hole. Just two things are remembered about King Canute, a Viking who invaded England in 1013. One is that he had a large hooked nose. The other is that he tried to command the sea tide not to roll into shore. […]

by John Helmer - Monday, March 3rd, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Drilling into SA diplomatic communiqués comes up empty for manganese and platinum An unusual meeting of South African (SA) and Russian government ministers two weeks ago in Moscow has triggered recriminations in Pretoria and Moscow. These follow the refusal of SA officials to clarify an upbeat description of co-operation in […]

by John Helmer - Sunday, March 2nd, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow RUSSIAN government officials have revealed that relations with SA are in crisis, after cancellation by Pretoria of the two largest commercial agreements ever negotiated between the countries. The crisis directly affects SA government plans for nuclear energy to increase Eskom’s power supply, and for SA military and civilian satellite communications. […]

by John Helmer - Saturday, March 1st, 2008
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