The Ukrainian mineral riches in Donald Trump’s sights

Last week, Donald Trump’s “Mineral-Help” proposal focused on huge and rare mineral resources in the country, which Washington wants to receive rights as a fee for the past military support.

Ukraine has great underground deposits worth up to $ 11.5tn Critical useful minerals, including lithium, graphite, cobalt, titanium and rare countries, such as Gallyium, which are necessary for the industry to protect electric vehicles.

But these deposits, rare in Europe, have not been subjected to any significant research or development processes, which last for years even under stable jurisdiction. The data also lacks the quality of resources, which needs information investors before millions of people shed new mines.

The US President’s Interest follows his vocal bid Buy GreenlandIt is also rich in critical minerals. Western countries compete to Safe sources of rare countries to China, which prevails a global supply chain.

What rare lands and critical minerals do Ukraine have?

Ukraine’s crust is assessed 10 percent of the world’s reserves According to state figures, lithium, used lithium. The books appear about 820 km km, but no one has been demining so far.

In critical minerals, Ukraine has significant proven reserves of zirconium, which are used in plane engines and scandal, both are not yet mined. Some of its deposits used in semiconductors, which are used to supermarked supermarket properties of supermol, and aerospace metal berilia are extracted on a small scale, but their potential says it is huge.

Ukrainian officials also say that their country is in the top ten in the world for titanium reserves used for missiles, planes and ships. However, only 10% of its proven reserves are being developed.

The Prime Minister denies the Sharijal in the earlaw of this month that Ukraine could replace the import of the Russian titanium in Europe. But last week, former General Director of the Ukrainian Geological Service Roman Oprimach stated that there has been no “modern assessment” of rare earthly reserves in Ukraine, and the assessments are based on the study of the old, Soviet era.

Mineral rhetoric made a “difficult political attitude. A number of data are not modern, we have very little information about what it is there, “said Graselan, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Where are natural resources?

The Ukrainian geological service says that the government is preparing about 100 websites for joint licensing and development, but have identified several details.

Ukraine’s mineral resources are located in the whole country, but in 2022, the large-scale invasion of Russia has been in the territories under Russia, according to Ki’s assessments.

The critician metals based on Australia bought the body licenses to two of the last Lithuman mines of 2021, only three months before the start of Russia’s attack. One of them, the Shevchenko mine in the east, has fallen under Russia’s control, his throne Tony Sage said in his financial times.

“It simply came to our notice then. We will never get that one, “he said, adding that his Dobra mine continues to be” a jewel in a crown. ”

Seys, whose company also has a mining license in Greenland, said that the US-Russia talks launched by Trump. “It will be fantastic for our company if there is a resolution.”

What does the US want?

Trump said that last week the United States debited to $ 500 billion in Ukraine’s resources, oil and gas mining mines, and even in infrastructure, such as ports from Russia.

This is significantly more than $ 69.2 million in Washington since 2014 State Department statisticsA number

Zelenskyy has rejected the offerIn claiming that any transaction on mineral resources should be linked to US security guarantees, according to four people familiar with the negotiations. He also wants EU and other countries, such as Great Britain and Canada, will be involved in further operation of natural resources.

What are the complications?

Investors and experts say the obstacles are significant to develop these mining projects quickly. State bureaucracy, state regulations, limited access to geological data.

Russia’s ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure have forced some mining operations to generate generators, raising the value of mining metals.

“While Ukraine may have mineral potential, a field of different products and a steel and feralo, which can revive, its future is very uncertain,” says Jack, the founder of the project’s project.

It “doesn’t good for investment for investments that can finish, develop, and committees for decades.”

The Swiss Ferrexpo has a large iron ore ore and production operation in Ukraine, which praised the ruins during the analysts, “for a few years of continuing activities.”

“When hostilities have stopped, we suspect that the biggest risk will be the provision of qualified employees,” they added.

The Australian-listed volt resources have stopped production during its Zovaliysk’s graffiti mining industry due to difficult conditions last year.

Did Zelenskyy miscalculate to win her pitch?

Zelenski first and foremost bathed the idea of ​​offering mining rights to US companies as part of the “Peace Program” He touched Trump last year.

But European and Ukrainian officials told FT that Zelenskyyy could make a strategic mistake, not to provide a common value or a feature.

“It was written as a temptation for Trump, clearly,” said a high-ranking European official involved in Kiev talks. “But the lack of details meant that Trump could actually call his price.

“Some Zellenski regretting how to behave. A number of a number lost control of the story, “the official added.

A high-ranking Ukrainian official said that Zelensky should have been “crystal clear” with “future guarantees” related to those resources [American] security support. “

Zelenskyy’s team roar to act with an attractive counterattack. At the last weekend, an alarming approach annoyed its European allies, comparing the Mahafian blackmail of the Mafia to the Mafia and “colonialism” at the Munich Security Conference.

“It’s one thing to say that we will help you liberate your land, then put the resources under the ground there.” “It’s another demand.” Pay this bill for help we have already provided. “

Cartography by Steven Bernard