Mumbai : On May 20, 2026, the International Congress on Rare Metals, Materials, and Technologies “Raremet-2026” opened in Moscow at the Russian Technological University (RTU MIREA). The congress was organized by JSC Giredmet (part of the Scientific Division of the Rosatom State Corporation). This major industry platform brought together more than 750 participants from 20 countries, including leading scientists, government representatives, and top management of industrial corporations and engineering companies. Delegates from Russia, India, China, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Cuba, Egypt, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Armenia, Iran, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Africa are participating in the congress. The largest foreign delegation is from India (over 100 participants), including senior representatives from the ministries of steel, electronics and mining.
In his video address to Redmet-2026 delegates, Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the Rosatom State Corporation, spoke about the extensive work being done to develop the rare earth industry to ensure Russia’s technological sovereignty. “The forum is being organized by Giredmet Institute, the flagship of the domestic rare earth industry. This year, it celebrates its 95th anniversary. Rosatom is actively involved in developing the rare earth industry in the country. We are restoring rare earth metal production at the Solikamsk Magnesium Plant. We are modernizing the enrichment plant at the Lovozero Mining and Processing Plant. We are creating a processing cluster in Yakutia. The country’s first large-scale production of permanent rare earth magnets will soon begin operations in Glazov. We hope that our efforts will help us achieve our strategic objective: reducing our country’s dependence on rare earth metal exports and providing industry with domestic resources,” he stated.
“The Redmet-2026 Congress is the successor to the Sazhin Readings series of scientific seminars and three international scientific and practical conferences, which addressed current industry development issues and identified its development prospects and application areas in related industries. Currently, the rare and rare earth metals industry is undergoing a global transformation, requiring new approaches to developing strategic partnerships and international cooperation in the development of closed-loop technologies—from mining, processing, and extraction to finished products. The Congress is intended to become the largest platform for constructive dialogue between fundamental and applied science, government, and the real economy on the most pressing issues in the rare earth industry,” said Andrey Goliney, Director of Giredmet JSC .
” I would like to express my respect to the organizers of the Congress; this is an excellent platform for policymakers, scientific, and industrial leaders. A key part of this Congress is the role of scientific and technological innovation. We in India believe that international scientific cooperation must become deeper and broader, with a practical focus being essential. Magnet production is the most pressing need today. I invite Russian academic institutions and research laboratories to collaborate with Indian academic institutions. Now is the time for cooperation with Russia and other partners. Our close ties are the foundation of stable and sustainable development. Thank you for inviting me to the Congress; I hope it achieves its goals,” said Sandeep Pundrik, Secretary of the Ministry of Steel of the Republic of India, calling for closer cooperation between the countries.
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On the opening day, three international panel discussions took place, drawing full houses. The first session focused on the role of rare earth metals in the energy transition and sustainable development. The second focused on the Angara-Yenisei Cluster as an integration platform for the new technological and economic policy of the Russian Federation. Participants in the third panel discussed the challenges of advanced personnel training for the rare earth metals industry.
The key event of the first day was the awards ceremony for the Academician N.P. Sazhin medals “For Contribution to the Development of Science and Technology in the Field of Rare and Rare-Earth Metals.” The following were awarded:
Andrey Bulanov, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
Andrey Voshkin, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences;
Liya Kogarko, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
Stanislav Kudzh, Rector of the Russian Technological University “MIREA”;
Dhiraj Kumar, Professor of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology;
Kalli Sanjay, PhD, CSIR Institute of Mineral and Materials Engineering;
Ruslan Khamizov, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Representatives of the media received medals named after Academician N.P. Sazhin from the hands of Yuri Mikhailov, Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Rare Earths journal, member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Deputy General Director of JSC Spetskhimiya of the Rostec State Corporation, and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences:
Oksana Galkevich, Deputy Director General of Public Television of Russia – for the creation of a series of educational programs on the topic of rare and rare earth metals;
Aleksandras Budrys, correspondent for Russian Forbes – for creating a series of analytical publications on the topic of rare and rare earth metals;
The journal “Exploration and Protection of Subsoil” represented by Alexander Rogozhin, a member of the editorial board and First Deputy Director General of the N.M. Fedorovsky All-Russian Research Institute of Mineral Resources, for many years of scientific and journalistic work and in connection with the publication’s 95th anniversary.
The day’s program concluded with plenary presentations on key scientific and technological areas.
On May 21 and 22, the Congress will continue its work on four parallel tracks covering the entire technological cycle – from raw material extraction to the production of high-tech products:
Rare metal mineral resources and sustainable processing technologies ( RAREMET:Minerals ) – processing of ores and man-made waste, hydrometallurgy, digital twins of deposits.
Metallurgy, magnetic materials, powders and composite materials ( RAREMET:Metallurgy ) – production of permanent magnets, additive technologies, rare and refractory metals.
Chemistry and technology of highly pure substances ( RAREMET:Chemistry ) – production and purification of rare metal compounds, extraction and sorption processes.
Materials for electronics, optics, photonics and energy ( RAREMET:Functional ) – semiconductors, scintillators, thermoelectrics, hydrogen energy.
The second and third days of the congress also include panel discussions on “Materials and Components for High-Tech Industries. The Role of Digital Design and AI” and “The New Geography of Rare and Rare Earth Metals: Technological Sovereignty, Global Supply Chains, and the Sixth Technological Wave.” Roundtables on synchrotron research of RM- and REE-based materials, as well as an expert session on the economics of critical metals, will also be held.
Guests can enjoy the specialized exhibition RAREMET:Expo , which presents technologies, equipment, and services from leading companies and research centers.
The closing ceremony of the congress and the award ceremony for the best speakers will take place on the evening of May 22.
The organizer of the Congress is JSC Giredmet (Scientific Division of the State Corporation Rosatom).
Co-organizer and general sponsor – Kirillitsa Group of Companies.
Sponsors: Rosatom MetallTech LLC, Rusredmet Group of Companies JSC.
Co-organizers: Development Fund of the Scientific and Technical Center “Mendeleev Valley”, RTU MIREA, RCU named after D.I. Mendeleyev, All-Russian Research Institute of Mineral Resources named after N.M. Fedorovsky, Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry named after N.S. Kurnakov of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Association of Rare Earth Minerals and Rare Earth Metals, Rare Earths Journal.
With the support of: Rosatom State Corporation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The general information partner is the federal information agency TASS.
The general industry information partner is the Mining Industry magazine.
Partners:
Tomsk State University, Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on Chemical Technology, Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on Inorganic Chemistry, National Association for Subsoil Expertise, Subsoil Use XXI Century magazine, Rosatom Country newspaper, Scientific and business portal Atomic Energy 2.0, Information and analytical magazine RUBEZH, Scientific and technical magazine Rational Development of Subsoil, Mining Industry magazine, Globus. Geology and Business magazine, Chemistry and Life popular science magazine, Metal Supply and Sales specialized magazine, MetalTrade information publication, TUMAI popular science magazine, Photonics scientific and technical magazine, Tekhsovet premium information and advertising publication, Mining Science and Technology magazine, News of Higher Education Institutions. Materials of Electronic Engineering, News of Higher Education Institutions. Powder Metallurgy and Functional Coatings, News of Higher Education Institutions. Non-ferrous Metallurgy, the magazine “News of Higher Educational Institutions. Ferrous Metallurgy”, the magazine “Economics of Industry”, the magazine “Modern Electronic Materials”, the magazine “Analytics”, the Telegram channel “Metal and Mineral”, the Fund for Support of Projects of the National Technological Initiative, the business magazine “Monocle”.
Official website of the Congress: redmet.giredmet.ru .
Telegram channel: t.me/raremet2026
Channel in MAX messenger: https://max.ru/id7707072637_gos22
Rosatom’s Scientific Division conducts innovative fundamental and applied research to develop nuclear and non-nuclear technologies (including closing the nuclear fuel cycle, thermonuclear fusion, and nuclear medicine); it creates high-tech solutions for both nuclear and other industries. It comprises 13 research institutes and commercial companies, including JSC Research Institute NPO Luch, JSC IRM, the V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute, and others. They boast a well-developed research infrastructure and in-house pilot production capable of fully implementing scientific concepts, from fundamental research to design development and prototypes. Most of the division’s research and development is carried out within the framework of a unified industry-specific thematic plan. The division’s responsibilities include testing, developing high-tech medical equipment, and new structural materials. Projects for the commercialization of promising high-tech technologies are also being implemented.
Major Russian companies continue to expand their range of solutions to unlock the potential of students and young employees. Rosatom and its subsidiaries are participating in the establishment of core departments at Russian universities, the implementation of scholarship support programs, major educational projects, and the organization of internships and internships for students, leading to their subsequent employment.