The United States is imposing a new raft of sanctions against Russia, this time targeting the nation’s mining sector. The new sanctions will raise the import levies on more than 100 Russian chemicals, minerals, and metals, according to a White House statement issued on Friday. The announcement was made on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s military action in Ukraine.

The statement noted the measures are “designed to target key Russian commodities generating revenue for the Kremlin while reducing US reliance on Russia.”

It went on, “Today’s action will result in increased tariffs on more than 100 Russian metals, minerals, and chemical products worth approximately $2.8 billion to Russia. It will also significantly increase costs for aluminum that was smelted or cast in Russia to enter the US market in order to counter harm to the domestic aluminum industry, which is being squeezed by energy costs as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

Reports circulated in early February that the United States was planning to put a 200% import tariff on Russian aluminum.

The US will also impose export restrictions on 90 Russian companies, as well as third-party countries such as China, for “engaging in sanction evasion and backfill activities in support of Russia’s defense sector.”

Targeted companies will be banned from purchasing goods made in the US or elsewhere which use US technology or software.

The statement noted, US President Joe Biden would sign the new restrictions on Friday.

The US and the Western nations imposed multiple packages of sanctions on Russia in response to the military operation launched in Ukraine last February. The sanctions packages have targeted trade energy exports, investment finance, and tourism, as well as other sectors and individuals. Hundreds of individual Russian citizens were blacklisted, and had assets available to the West frozen or seized, as about half of all Russian foreign currency reserves were frozen.

Although Russian metals had not been targeted by sanctions to date, many buyers had shunned Russian imports over the past months due to fears over sanctions. Russian Trade Minister Denis Manturov had noted that in response, the Kremlin had redirected the nation’s metal exports from Western countries to alternative markets, with prioritization given to Türkiye, China, member states of the Eurasian Economic Union and CIS countries.