Institute of Economic Problems named after G. P. Luzin (Kola Science Center of Russian Academy of Sciences), Apatity, Russia:

F. D. Larichkin, Professor, Director, e-mail: lfd@iep.kolasc.net.ru

V. D. Novoseltseva, Assistant Professor, Head of Division of Export-Oriented Industries

Chair of Economics, National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI”, Moscow, Russia:

G. I. Popova, Senior Lecturer
L. S. Serebryannaya, Senior Lecturer

¹Chair of Economics, National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI”, Moscow, Russia; ²“Ore and Metals” Publishing House, Moscow, Russia:
A. G. Vorobev, Professor, Head of a Chair¹, Editor-in-Chief²

There are characterized the types of natural and manufactured minerals, ores and compounds of zirconium, their basic differential peculiarities and consumer characteristics, which determine a varied and efficient use of zirconium-containing materials in modern prospective industries of many branches of economy. Nowadays, Russian Federation is the world's only producer of the most high-quality natural zirconium doixide (baddeleyite), which consistently has a high fixed demand on the world market. Badeleyite is manufactured at Kovdor Ore Dressing and Processing Enterprise (Murmansk Oblast). There is given the review of modern status, current problems, current and prospect tendencies of development of raw materials base, production and basic areas of consumption of zirconium both in Russian Federation and in the whole world. For the years of market reforms, Russian production and consumption of zirconium-containing materials has decreased sharply. At the same time, import of these materials has increased, which does not correspond to their rather significant existing Russian reserves and resources. The basic world producers, exporters and importers of zirconium and various zirconium-containing materials are shown together with the basic parameters of export-import operations. This article gives rather detail analysis of dynamics of average annual prices on zirconium-containing products in Russia and in the world markets over the past five years. The points of view of leading experts on forecasting of development of industry and price level of considered segment of the world economy are also analyzed. There are considered the specific peculiarities of raw materials base and main long-term projects for the development of import substitution industries in Russian Federation due to the mastering of new natural and anthropogenic zirconiumcontaining deposits. Realization of these projects should significantly reduce the dependence of Russia on import of zirconium raw materials and satisfy the needs of Russian enterprises with own raw materials.

1. Rynok redkikh metallov 2010: tsirkoniy (Market of rare metals 2010: zirconium). Metal Research. Available at : http://www.metalresearch.ru/page41.html.
2. Rynok tsirkoniya 2012: rudy i kontsentraty, tsirkoniy i produktsiya (Mir, Kazakhstan) (Market of zirconium 2012: ores and concentrates, zirconium and products (Mir, Kazakhstan)). Metal Research. Available at : http://www.metalresearch.ru/page231.html.
3. Arkhipova N. A. Tsirkoniy: sostoyanie i perspektivy razvitiya mirovogo rynka (Zirconium: status and prospects of development of world market). Available at : http://www.zirconium.ru/articles/18.
4. Tseny na titanovye i tsirkonovyy kontsentraty dostignut pika v kontse 2012 goda i v 2013 godu (Prices on titanium and zirconium concentrates will reach their peak at the end of 2012 and in 2013). Informatsionno-analiticheskiy tsentr Mineral (Information and analytic center Mineral). Available at : http://www.mineral.ru/News/43547.html.