Digital Infrastructure to Be Built for Mendeleev Valley
An agreement between the Mendeleev Valley Foundation and OOO CloudSolutions – Cloud X was signed at SPIEF 2026. The infrastructure is being developed for the Angara-Yenisei cluster dedicated to the deep processing of non-ferrous, rare, and rare earth metals.
To support the initiative, the partners will address the development of data centres, cloud infrastructure, and computing capacity for high-performance and AI workloads. As a result, a major industrial cluster of federal importance will gain its own dedicated digital environment.
On Next-Generation Data Centres
The Angara-Yenisei cluster operates as a distributed Siberian research and industrial complex focused on the deep processing of non-ferrous, rare, and rare earth metals. Cloud X has announced plans to build a geographically distributed infrastructure consisting of three large next-generation data centres designed for artificial intelligence, modelling, and big data applications.
“The implementation of this agreement will provide the computing resources required for the project, support the development of an efficient data centre architecture, and create cloud infrastructure and AI computing platforms tailored to real industrial tasks,” said Ksenia Shoigu, CEO of the Mendeleev Valley Foundation.
The digital infrastructure is expected to bring a new level of control to a complex industrial value chain, spanning raw materials, processing, advanced materials, components, and high-value finished products. Rare and rare earth metals are critical for microelectronics, energy systems, unmanned technologies, the nuclear industry, and other high-tech sectors, ultimately contributing to the country’s technological sovereignty.
About the Project Participants
The Foundation for the Development of the Mendeleev Valley Innovative Scientific and Technological Center (ISTC) serves as the management organisation for the federal project of the same name, established by the Russian government in 2019. The foundation oversees the development of the centre by attracting resident companies, building infrastructure, and coordinating collaboration between science, education, and industry.
A key objective is the creation of a deep-processing cluster for non-ferrous, rare, and rare earth metals in the Angara-Yenisei region, encompassing Krasnoyarsk Krai and the Republic of Khakassia. In practice, this will take the form of an integrated production chain extending from raw materials to high-tech manufacturing, including components for electronics, batteries, and magnets.
The project is intended to narrow the gap between research and industry while accelerating the transfer of new technologies into production through pilot facilities and demonstration-scale operations.
Scientific and educational support is being provided by Siberian Federal University and D. I. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia. Industrial participants include Rosatom through Giredmet and RUSAL, as well as Nornickel, Rostekh, and others. Government development institutions and regulators involved in the initiative include the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and VEB.RF.
Mendeleev Valley provides residents with tax incentives, simplified regulatory frameworks for experimentation and pilot projects, access to research and engineering infrastructure, shared-use facilities, and engineering services.
Cloud X is a Russian cloud-services ecosystem operating within En+ Group. It provides services under IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and SaaS (Software as a Service) models. The platform is included in the Russian Ministry of Digital Development’s domestic software registry. Its core strengths include scalable and reliable infrastructure, a broad service portfolio, and compliance with security and regulatory requirements.
The cluster’s priority projects include processing ore concentrate from the Tastygskoye deposit into lithium hydroxide, with completion targeted for 2030; construction of a specialty small-scale chemical plant producing high-purity materials, scheduled to begin operations in 2028; and the establishment of an AI computing centre, which is planned to launch in 2032.
Supporting National Strategic Goals
Artificial intelligence and high-performance computing will make it possible to model material properties, optimise processing technologies, analyse mineral resources, predict equipment failures, and create digital twins of industrial processes.
In January 2026, Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade approved a comprehensive plan for the development of the rare earth metals sector through 2030. The programme covers the entire value chain, from mining and processing to the production of high-tech end products. Plans have also been announced to establish or modernise 15 major production facilities covering 65 critical products derived from rare and rare earth metals. The Angara-Yenisei cluster is expected to play an important role in achieving these national objectives.
