One of the most popular speculations of Donald Trump regarding the conditions for the possible restoration of military aid to Ukraine remains US access to its rare earth resources. Interestingly, as early as 2022, the US published a list of 50 materials critical to the American economy and security. In addition to rare earth elements, the list includes cobalt, graphite, nickel, manganese, lithium and titanium.
Ukraine as a raw material giant: the potential of critical materials for the world economy
It is known that in the Ukrainian bowels are waiting extraction of 117 types of minerals, including 22 out of 30 raw materials recognized as critical in the West. At present, domestic reserves of minerals have been explored are evaluated in $15 trillion, ⅔ of them are concentrated in the Donetsk, Luhansk and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Ukrainian strategic raw materials are already exported to the West, and Western companies operate on the market.
It is worth noting that Ukraine enters among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of explored titanium reserves, providing about 20% of the world production of ilmenite and 6% of rutile. In Ukraine accrued 28 deposits of these materials, of which 6 are under development. Even before the full-scale invasion, almost 1 million tons of titanium concentrate was mined. The main mining in the Zhytomyr and Dnipropetrovsk regions is conducted by the company “Velta” and “United Mining and Chemical Company”, which after privatization belongs to NEQSOL Holding. Both supply products to the American Chemours. This year, during the winter, the Mezhyrichensky GZK in Zhytomyr Oblast, which produces ilmenite concentrate, resumed work.
Ukraine is also among the top 5 in terms of graphite reserves, which amount to about 19 million tons of ore with a natural graphite content of 5–8%. Prospective graphite resources are estimated at approximately 100 million tons, which makes Ukrainian graphite one of the highest quality in the world. In addition, Ukraine has significant reserves of rare earth metals, in particular, tantalum, niobium and beryllium.
However, many deposits are not yet developed, and additional financing is needed for lithium and nickel mining. Rare earth metals, in particular lanthanides, scandium and yttrium, have unique characteristics and are necessary for modern electronic devices.
These metals are used in alloys, catalysts, hydrogen batteries, electronics, magnets, ignition mixtures and nuclear technology. In Ukraine, reserves of beryllium, tantalum, and niobium have been explored in 6 deposits. Tantalum and niobium are concentrated in Dnipropetrovsk region, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk region, beryllium – in Zhytomyr region.
The only company that extracts rare earth elements is BGV Group. It deals with the Yastrebetsky deposit in Zhytomyr region and has a permit for the Perzhan deposit, which contains more than 15,000 tons of beryllium oxide combined with tin, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, lithium and zinc.
Ukraine has a lot of critical raw materials needed for high-tech industries, including defense and aerospace. It includes the legendary rare earth elements, cobalt, graphite, lithium, titanium, nickel.
Domestic lithium, reserves of which constitute 1/3 of the European and 1/30 of the world, is still waiting for its extraction. Currently, three lithium deposits are known and one has been previously studied in the Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk regions.
In Ukraine, there are also a dozen silicate-nickel deposits in Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad regions, where reserves of cobalt as an accompanying substance are estimated at 9 thousand. t. Worth developing consider Prutivsk and Kapitanivsk sections of cobalt. Despite official statements, these resources are already coming to the United States, and Western companies can finance mining in Ukraine. However, this is hindered by military risks and the non-compliance of the assessment of minerals with international standards. The emergence of large American mining companies is unlikely in the foreseeable future, but with the end of active hostilities, the possibility increases.
In conditions of geopolitical tension, the issue of supplying strategic resources comes to the fore. The West needs diversification of sources, and here Ukraine can play a key role. Involvement Ukrainian reserves of rare metals to global supply chains can open up new economic opportunities for Ukraine.
Ukraine on the mineral map of the world: the strategic potential of graphite and beryllium
Ukraine has a chance to be at the forefront of the world market of critical materials, in particular graphite and beryllium. Ukraine has one of the world’s largest potential graphite resources, which makes it a strategic player in the global pursuit of critical materials. By data According to the State Geology and Subsoil Service, confirmed graphite reserves amount to 18 million tons, and potential resources are estimated in the range of 50 to 100 million tons.
Graphite deposits concentrated within the boundaries of the Ukrainian crystalline shield, which covers four graphite-bearing regions: Berdychivskyi, Pobuzkyi, Kryvorizkyi and Pryazovskyi. It is here that about a hundred deposits and manifestations of high-quality crystalline graphite are concentrated, without which the production of batteries for electric cars, modern electronics, refractory materials and even components for nuclear energy is impossible.
Of the 6 known deposits of graphite at present is being developed Balakhivskoe deposit, where the company “Development of Pobuzhzhya” operates, and Zavalivske in Kirovohrad Oblast. It is owned by the Australian Volt Resources, which 2 years ago concluded an agreement to supply graphite to the American defense company. BGV Group Management is actively investing in the development of the graphite project based on the Balakhiv deposit, planning attract about $400 million to create a full production cycle, including spheronization of graphite for the needs of the battery industry.
Exploration is also conducted in the Kirovohrad, Odesa and Khmelnytskyi regions, where the Ukrainian BGV Group and the Turkish ONUR Group work.
Graphite is not just a mineral, but a strategic resource that shapes the future of energy and high technologies. In electric cars, mobile devices and energy storage systems, it plays a key role, because it is graphite that ensures the efficiency and durability of modern batteries. Especially valuable is high-quality graphite concentrate with a carbon content of 97%, without which it is difficult to imagine the development of lithium-ion batteries.
At the enterprise “Zavallivsky Graphite”, which extracts graphite at its own deposit, are applied advanced methods of beneficiation of graphite ores. Flotation beneficiation allows you to separate graphite from waste rock, ensuring high purity of the final product. Chemical purification is used to remove impurities, which increases the quality of graphite for specialized applications. Heat treatment is used to improve the physicochemical properties of graphite, which expands the spectrum of its use.
The company BGV Group Management has achieved significant success, having completed the preliminary feasibility study and pilot tests on the basis of the Balakhiv deposit. This opens up new prospects for energy independence and strengthening the country’s role in the global supply of critical materials.
But graphite is not only for batteries. It is used in the production of refractory materials, lubricants, electrodes for metallurgy and even in nuclear power. And if we are talking about the purest graphite with a carbon content of 99.99%, then it is indispensable in the production of electronics and special composite materials. Global competition for this resource is growing, and Ukraine has a chance to become one of the key players in this strategic game.
Beryllium is a metal that remains in the shadows, but its role in modern defense and high technology cannot be overstated. Light, extremely strong and heat-resistant, it has become a key element in armor, missile systems and nuclear reactors. Its unique properties make it indispensable in the production of highly sensitive sensors and scanners used both in the military and in scientific research.
One beryllium deposit is known in Ukraine — Perzhansk in Zhytomyr region, with reserves of 15,300 tons of beryllium oxide. In addition to beryllium, this deposit contains useful components such as tantalum, niobium, zirconium, tin, molybdenum, lithium and zinc. In 2019, a special permit for its development was granted to BGV Group, which opens up prospects for the development of mining of this strategic metal.
Today, beryllium and graphite are not just materials, but strategic resources determine power of states in global confrontation. The USA and the EU have recognized them as critically important, because the production of these materials is concentrated in a limited number of countries, and the demand for them is only growing. China controls ⅔ of the graphite market, Kazakhstan is one of the main suppliers of beryllium, and this dependence is becoming increasingly dangerous.
The development of graphite and beryllium mining in Ukraine can be significant strengthen economy and strengthen its position in the world market of critical materials. However, in order to realize this potential, it is necessary to provide transparent conditions for investors, improve the legal framework and attract long-term investments. As noted at the conference “Strategic resources of Ukraine: scenarios“.
Modern technologies for the Ukrainian mining industry: cooperation with Metso and ANZAPLAN
Developing its mining industry, Ukraine cooperates with international companies that help implement modern technologies. Among them are Roots and ANZAPLAN. Metso is a Finnish mining technology company that develops advanced ore beneficiation equipment that helps reduce energy consumption and improve product quality. For example, its Vertimill® technology, which is already used in Ukraine, allows for more efficient grinding of ore, which reduces electricity costs.
ANZAPLAN is a German company specializing in mineral exploration and processing. It helps determine the best ways to purify graphite, lithium and other critical materials to meet international standards. This is very important, because it is pure graphite that is used in the production of batteries for electric cars and modern electronics.
…Ukraine has a unique potential in the extraction of critical minerals capable of strengthening its economy and making it a key player in the world market of strategic resources. Reserves of titanium, graphite, beryllium, lithium and nickel can supply the defense, aerospace and electronics industries.
However, the sector faces military risks, bureaucratic obstacles and a lack of international certification. The West is looking for new sources of strategic raw materials, and Ukraine can occupy this niche. This requires investment, modernization of production and integration into global supply chains. If the country seizes this chance, it will become one of the key suppliers of critical materials in the world.
Tetyana Viktorova
