Problem of sufficiency of non-ferrous metals for the defence industry of late Imperial Russia

Abstract

Having analyzed a wide range of historical materials, the authors of this paper looked at the problem of sufficiency of non-ferrous metals for the defence industry of late Imperial Russia. It is pointed out that, when tackling that problem, Russian state and military leaders faced many difficulties, which they managed to overcome more or less successfully. Certain success stories are included. For instance, in the area of electrolytic refining of copper in Russia. The paper highlights how this problem was effectively sorted out by members of the Special Council on Defence. At the same time, the paper points out that the leadership of the Russian Empire were not very efficient or quick to expand the non-ferrous metals industry. Thus, because of disagreement between the War and Finance Ministries, the country failed to stock up on non-ferrous metals to support a long war. The lack of action on the part of Russian authorities would aggravate the issue. As a result, the turnover of non-ferrous metals in late Imperial Russia became a lever in the hands of commercial companies, which were hardly interested in reinforcing the country’s defence potential. They included foreign entities, such as Wogau & Co Trading Company and a mining company Elborus. This, together with other negative developments seen by late Imperial Russia, led to a situation when the Russian authorities were forced to buy abroad many of the non-ferrous metals needed by defence industry. Unfortunately, Russian defence industry remained dependent on imported non-ferrous metals till the end of the Russian Empire. Hopefully, Russia’s current political and military leaders will learn the historic lessons and will be able to tackle the problem of import substitution in the studied area.