Ukraine’s territory offers about 20 critical minerals from U.S. list – expert’s opinion

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Industry Expertise (Ukrpromzovnishexpertyza) State Enterprise Director Volodymyr Vlasiuk in a commentary to DW, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to Vlasiuk, those natural resources that U.S. President Donald Trump had expressed interest in, calling them ‘rare earth metals’, represent the group of critical minerals.

“The U.S. Geological Survey has a list of 50 critical minerals, which includes, for example, lithium. Speaking of this group of critical minerals, Ukraine indeed has such deposits and promising sites. In the United States, the list of critical minerals contains 50 names. Of them, we have about 20 minerals,” Vlasiuk told.

Mainly, the above refers to critical minerals that are conventionally classified as battery minerals, and also semiconductor minerals. These are the two key groups without which the modern economy is impossible, either defense or modern civilian production, such as the production of microchips.

“In Ukraine, there are elements of these two critical groups. We have lithium, graphite and manganese. These are the three key components of the ‘battery’ group. We also have critical minerals of the ‘semiconductor’ group, such as gallium and germanium… In millidoses, they are used for the production of modern microchips. We also have hafnium and silicon, and strategic structural materials, such as titanium, zirconium, vanadium and phosphorus. As for rare earth metals, these are bismuth, cadmium, and so on,” Vlasiuk explained.

At the same time, the expert could not estimate the actual reserves of such minerals, as they are still poorly explored.

“So far, there has been no precise exploration, which would have been conducted in accordance with international standards. We still have the exploration data on the development of ores from the Soviet era, and some exploration data from the Ukrainian times. As for the said elements, there are indeed serious reserves and in good condition,” Vlasiuk noted.

In his words, there are two or three promising lithium sites. In fact, one of them is situated on the border of the Donetsk region, i.e. in the area of active hostilities. But, the largest lithium site is located in the Kirovohrad region.

“In Ukraine, these deposits are rich enough for us to be included in the global supply chain of such minerals,” Vlasiuk concluded.

A reminder that Ukrainian Industry Expertise (Ukrpromzovnishexpertyza) is Ukraine’s leading company in the field of marketing and the expert assessment of foreign economic contracts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated earlier that Ukraine is open to signing an agreement with the United States on providing access to rare earth metals in exchange for continued support.

Photo: Privat