Ukraine has the largest reserves of Lithium and Titan in Europe, as well as significant deposits of other rare land minerals. This makes the country a key player in the world market of strategic resources needed for the production of electric vehicles, microelectronics and military equipment.
In 2017, Mining World Ukraine reported that Ukraine has significant reserves of non -ferrous and rare earth metals, including unique beryllium deposits, zirconium, tanthal, and a complex of phosphorus ores of rare earth and rare metals. Confirmed Lithium reserves in Ukraine are the largest in Europe. It was noted that the country also has a real opportunity to enter the world market with pure and pure metals such as Galium, India, Tali, Lead, tin.
According to the Canadian company for assessing the Secdev geopolitical risks, which were published in 2022, Ukrainian energy deposits, metals and minerals worth at least $ 12.4 trillion are under the control of Russia. In addition to 63% of the country's coal deposits, Moscow has confiscated 11% of oil fields, 20% of natural gas fields, 42% of metals and 33% of liquid land and other critical minerals, including lithium.
Since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022, the Kremlin has been constantly expanding its possessions. According to SECDEV and the heads of the Ukrainian mining and steel industry, he captured: 41 coal deposits, 27 areas of natural gas, 14 sections of propane, nine oil deposits, six iron ore deposits, two precincts of titanium ore, two zirconia. One gold deposit and a significant limestone quarry that was previously used for Ukrainian production steel.
In 2023, the first viceremer-minister-Minister of Economy Yulia Sviridenko stated that Ukraine has the largest reserves of Lithium, titanium and significant deposits of other fossils required in the production of batteries, electric transport and other equipment, as well as the provision of nuclear power plants. Investment portfolio: 10 PRESSES worth $ 3.6 billion.
In 2023 it was reported that according to Forbes, the cost of minerals of Ukraine was 14.8 trillion. Dol. At the same time, more than 70% of the total amount account for only three regions - Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Lugansk. In the total cost of minerals, 62% provides coal, 14% - iron ore, each of the other assets - less than 5%. The total amount of minerals is 111 billion tons.
However, in 2023, the Ministry of Environmental and Natural Resources of Ukraine stated that Russia occupied 740 Ukrainian mineral deposits.
In the same year, the Cabinet approved a list of minerals that are of strategic importance for the economy and defense, as well as the deposits where they are produced.
According to the Ministry of Economy, the list contains 5 minerals: vanadium, Lithium, titanium, uranium ores and potassium salt.
It is on the deposits with these strategic materials, as envisaged in the government, that product distribution agreements can be concluded. 26 deposits will be used for use on terms of distribution agreements.
US interest in Ukraine resources
In October 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kyiv was offering the United States together with certain partners, including the European Union, and with other partners in the world, to enter into a special agreement on joint protection of available critical resources, joint investment and use of appropriate economic potential.
Back in September 2024, Trump, according to Financial Times, was interested in two points of the Victory Plan of Zelensky. One of them is a probable agreement on the separation of critical natural resources of Ukraine with Western partners.
The Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated that Ukrainian rare earth elements could become a strategic asset of the United States.
AFP reported that Donald Trump has stated that he wanted to exchange rare land metals from Ukraine to help the United States.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholt criticized US President Donald Trump's demand to Ukraine to put rare earth metals in the US in exchange for financial assistance.
