Largo exports V2O5 to Russia https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alan-patrick-ryan-a26448a_russian-imports-of-brazilian-v2o5-on-july-activity-7082397655112249345-JxGI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android
Russian imports of Brazilian V2O5
Excerpt
As the only vanadium producer in Brazil, Largo produced the V2O5 imported by Russia. Russian import statistics, which may not be completely accurate, show that anywhere from 6 to 13 containers of Brazilian V2O5 are arriving monthly, though some months there are zero imports from Brazil. Since Largo has the capacity to produce 1,000 mtpm of V2O5, the imports represent 10-20% of Largo’s production, depending on the month, said one source. Another source commented that on an annualized basis, Russian imports of Brazilian V2O5 account for 25% of Largo’s output. Asked to comment on the import statistics, Largo’s Chief Commercial Officer Paul Vollant first indicated that Largo cannot track all of its shipments as it sells to traders and to other countries, including China, that can ant’s question about why intherightvein.com was asking about the Russian imports, we noted that the US has specific sanctions against exporting to Russia and Belarus items potentially useful in military applications. (In fact the list of items was expanded recently, see: https://lnkd.in/eWSrGrg8). The list does not include vanadium for obvious reasons but does include moly and tungsten powders, moly bars and rods, moly plates, sheets, strip and foil, moly wire, moly waste and scrap, etc.
Vollant said that the V2O5 shipped to Russia was used in masteralloys for commercial aircraft. “Largo cannot possibly know how its vanadium is being used,” said one supplier. “The V2O5 is imported by Uralredmet, which produces the masteralloys for VSMPO Avismo, a shareholder of Uralredmet. VSMPO ships to wherever there is a need whether it is commercial or military.” The
Commerce sanction rules recognize that there is a thin line between commercial and military, noting that US companies should not export items that could provide revenue sources to enhance Russia’s military.