APEC mining ministers to meet in St Petersburg Wed

The APEC ministers in charge of the mining industry are to discuss global trends on the markets of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, prospects for mounting demand for metals and raw materials, as well as factors in sustainable developmend of the mining-and-metallurgical branches of APEC economies, and ways to overcome potential threats that have been brought on by the imbalance of world markets of raw materials.

The Ministers are to evaluate the state of the investment climate in APEC economies, exchange views on methods and means for a further intensification of the process of attracting investments in the mining sectors of the region and tendencies in forming innovations-based economies, and ways to increase the share of innovative products in the pattern of the mining industry and metallurgy.

The conference has drawn representatives of the APEC's key ministries and agencies responsible for the mining industry and metallurgy. A Russian delegation will be headed by Minisiter of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov.

Big business executives, representaitves of international organizations, the World Bank, the International research groups on copper, nickel, lead, and zinc, and the World Steel Association will also take part in the conference.