The Russian government has decided to prohibit the publication of open maps of mineral resources, claiming that it is necessary for 'national security'. The decision was made by the committee on ecology, natural resources, and environmental protection.
According to the deputy head of the state policy and regulation department in the field of geology and subsoil use of the Ministry of Natural Resources, restricting access to information about mineral deposits on the internet is necessary due to national security considerations.
Now Rosnedra cannot disclose data on mineral resources, which may complicate the acquisition of necessary information for the development and construction of facilities.
Interestingly, the Russian side offered the United States ownership rights to the minerals located in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This occurred during discussions regarding the extraction of rare earth metals between the two countries.