Northern Russian lithium mine set for first production later this year

CMP and Halmek's Arctic Lithium joint venture has accelerated the development of the Polmostundrovskoye deposit in Murmansk Oblast, Northern Russia over recent months. Exploration and on-site activities began through the 2024 season and continued late into 2025, even continuing through parts of the snowy season. Although the production profile remains unconfirmed, sources with knowledge of the project, and Benchmark’s own satellite analysis have confirmed these activities. Public reporting suggests a preliminary run of around one million tonnes of ore for 2027 to be the first development stage. Benchmark forecasts mined production from Polmostundrovskoye at around 5kt LCE in 2026, with output onset towards the end of the calendar year.