Russia overhauls subsoil management with digital reforms and stricter oversight
At a meeting of Russia's Federal Agency for Subsoil Use (Rosnedra), Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev stated that while the current system is already fairly efficient, its potential for growth is far from exhausted.
Last year, 24 billion rubles in state funding were allocated for geological surveys and resource assessments in understudied regions, with an additional 4.5 billion rubles earmarked for 2026. Meanwhile, private investment in exploration has reached impressive levels: in 2025 alone, it exceeded 420 billion rubles, totaling two trillion rubles over the past five years, according to Kommersant.
A key focus will be reforming the payment system for subsoil use. Authorities are now reviewing proposals to adjust the methodology for calculating one-time fees, aiming to make them more economically justified and equitable. The government also plans to tighten oversight of compliance with subsoil use and conservation regulations. Following Patrushev's instructions, Rosprirodnadzor (Russia's environmental watchdog) will soon begin conducting preventive inspections of license holders to verify adherence to mandatory requirements.
A major challenge for the sector remains the low level of digitization of geological data. As Patrushev noted, over a century of domestic geological research has produced more than four million reports, yet only a small fraction have been converted to digital format. A new information system, currently in pilot operation, is expected to address this issue by tracking compliance with license terms at every stage of subsoil use. Once fully launched in 2027, the system will enable regulators to more quickly and effectively identify so-called "dormant licenses"—those left unused for their intended purpose.
The meeting also highlighted proposals to accelerate the development of strategic mineral deposits to ensure the country's resource security. Particular emphasis is being placed on maximizing the extraction of rare metals from complex polymetallic ores. The industry has also been tasked with expanding international cooperation, with a focus on joint geological surveys of cross-border territories and technology exchanges with partners from the CIS and BRICS nations.
