Situation Analysis
Ragn-Sells is building a plant in Narva by 2030 that will give new life to oil shale ash currently lying unused in large waste heaps. From this ash, it is possible to extract materials such as magnesium, silicon and aluminium, which are critical raw materials for the European economy and essential for industries such as automotive, defence and semiconductors.
The opportunity to help address Europe’s raw materials crisis represents a significant boost for the Estonian economy. In addition, the investment of over 300 million euros will create around 100 new jobs in Ida-Virumaa. However, Ragn-Sells is already facing a key challenge: if interest in chemistry among young people in Estonia does not increase, the future circular economy plant may lack the necessary specialists.
As a result, Estonia risks missing a major opportunity to transform mining and industrial waste in Ida-Virumaa into valuable raw material resources for European industry through innovative scientific solutions. The shortage of chemistry teachers and the declining interest in the subject among young people are creating a chain reaction that impacts the economy, industry, investments, and ultimately tax revenues and overall well-being.
Even state-funded university places in chemistry-related fields remain unfilled, while Estonia’s chemical industry and other sectors require more specialists than are currently being trained. A lack of chemistry teachers, or uneven teaching quality, further reduces young people’s interest in the field. In many cases, interest never develops because young people are not sufficiently informed about career opportunities in chemistry, both in Estonia and globally.
In strategically important sectors for the Estonian economy, such as the chemical industry, green technology, materials science, pharmaceuticals and the food industry, there is already a significant shortage of qualified specialists.
Objectives
- To motivate young people to study chemistry or other science subjects at university, Ragn-Sells proposed an idea to the Ida-Virumaa Local Governments Union – let's take local school gymnasium students out of the classroom and give them a chemistry lesson directly on the ash mountain.
- Show them that their familiar ash mountains are not garbage heaps, but rather material banks that could save European automotive and defense industries from dependence on Chinese raw materials.
- Encourage young people that by studying chemistry, they have the opportunity to truly change life in Ida-Virumaa, Estonia, and Europe.
- That by studying chemistry, they choose a valued future profession with good salaries and career opportunities.
Communication strategy and action plan
- Two schools joined the idea – chemistry club students and teachers from Kohtla-Järve and Jõhvi Gymnasiums.
- At the Ahtme oil shale ash mountain, the entire chain was unrolled before the young people, showing how calcium carbonate can be extracted first from old ash, which is an essential component in paints, putties, flooring materials, medicines, and many other consumer goods around us.
- Students were able to literally test what the new raw material made from ash tastes like – ultra-pure calcium carbonate, which already has great interest from domestic and foreign industries today.
Results
The feedback from students and teachers to the pilot lesson was strong and supportive. Therefore, it was agreed that similar lessons would be made regular for other schools as well, as soon as Ragn-Sells opens its oil shale ash valorization demo factory in Narva in January 2026, where chemistry lessons can be organized directly at the epicenter of the innovation hub that needs workforce and specialists.