By John Helmer, Moscow   @bears_with In January of this year the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the reserves of the nine leading countries in the world which mine lithium, the new fuel to power electric batteries. Chile led, followed by Australia, Argentina, China, and the US which claims to have one million tonnes. Russia […]

by Editor - Thursday, September 28th, 2023
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow   @bears_with Igor Zyuzin (lead image), owner of the Mechel steel and coal group, and one of the few Russian metals oligarchs not presently sanctioned  by the US, is a running sore on the Kremlin’s policy of halting,  and also continuing,  industrial pollution. From his base in Chelyabinsk, and at factories, mines, […]

by Editor - Tuesday, March 14th, 2023
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow   @bears_with Last month the Russian metals and mining oligarch, Alexei Mordashov (lead image, left), took a spectacular  pratfall in front of the international money markets. Not even hand-holding by Citigroup, JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, and Bank of Montreal could save him from the public embarrassment. On June 3, Mordashov and the banks […]

by Editor - Sunday, July 18th, 2021
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow   @bears_with Among Russian oligarchs, Alexei Mordashov (lead image, centre) holds two records. One is for empty promises: he has never told the whole truth in public or when he has visited President Vladimir Putin (right) for private conversations about his business plans and the Russian state interest. Mordashov’s other record is […]

by Editor - Monday, September 23rd, 2019
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow For the first time Canadian mine stock investors say that Russian mining and metals oligarch Alexei Mordashov has run into resistance to his takeover schemes by a combination of share dilution, insider rewards,  and share price manipulation —  tactics which  have succeeded for Mordashov when he acquired the last three Canadian goldminers […]

by Editor - Friday, February 24th, 2017
No Comments »

  By John Helmer, Moscow Gold reserves are handy in wartime, especially when your enemies are the United States Government and the US dollar banking system operating worldwide.   So, since the war to overthrow President Vladimir Putin began in 2014, the Central Bank of Russia has accelerated its purchases of gold bullion by more […]

by Editor - Tuesday, February 21st, 2017
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow Alexei Mordashov (lead image, top left), the mining and metals oligarch, promised President Vladimir Putin (centre) that in future he would stick to investing in Russia. “We did a great deal of work abroad,” he told  the President, “but came to the conclusion that our future lies primarily in Russia, in […]

by Editor - Thursday, December 22nd, 2016
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow If you can read this, you missed an attack on this website. It started, coincidentally, when the Moscow office day commenced. The general commanding our rocket forces forbids us to reveal  the method of attack and  how it was intercepted and zapped, restoring our coverage of stories like this one on […]

by Editor - Monday, December 5th, 2016
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow In the criminal fraternity it’s believed that light fingers are a juvenile condition it’s best for the practicioner to grow out of when more serious property transfers are in contemplation. Alexei Mordashov (lead image, right), the Russian steelmaker and goldminer, is a quick learner and a grown-up. With a net worth […]

by Editor - Tuesday, November 29th, 2016
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow The old saw about how to make a small fortune can be adapted in Vitaly Mashitsky’s case, but you must still start with a large fortune — he’ll take care of the rest. In a surprise to the amber industry of Kaliningrad, where about 95% of the world’s supply of amber […]

by Editor - Monday, May 25th, 2015
No Comments »