The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the lists of critical and strategic minerals, as well as 60 subsoil areas for auctions and 26 areas for PSA tenders, which will help attract investors to the extraction of lithium, titanium, copper and other strategic minerals to strengthen the defense and economic development of Ukraine. This was reported in the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, write Dengi.ua .

"Approval of the lists of strategic and critical minerals and subsoil areas is an important step for the preservation of national security, development of innovative production and building up the industrial potential of the state. This decision will allow to effectively manage subsoil resources, attract investment in the extractive industry and create new opportunities for the development of the economy of Ukraine in the long term", - emphasized the Minister of environmental protection and natural resources Svitlana Hrynchuk.

The decision approved:

  • List of minerals and components of strategic importance, which includes 11 minerals: ores of aluminum, beryllium, copper, nickel, niobium, strontium, tantalum, titanium, uranium, zirconium, fluorite.
  • The list of minerals and components of critical importance contains 28 minerals, which include minerals of strategic importance: aluminum, beryllium, copper, nickel, niobium, strontium, tantalum, titanium, titanium, uranium, zirconium ores, etc.
  • List of subsoil areas (mineral deposits) of strategic and (or) critical importance, which will be provided for use by auction (electronic bidding) for the sale of a special permit for subsoil use - 60 subsoil areas and mineral deposits with deposits of titanium, lithium, niobium, niobium, beryllium, zirconium, potassium salt, fluorite, apatite ores were included.
  • The list of subsoil areas (mineral deposits) of strategic importance and (or) critical importance, which will be provided for use through a tender for conclusion of a production sharing agreement - 26 subsoil areas and mineral deposits with deposits of vanadium, lithium, titanium, uranium and potassium salt ores were included.

According to the ministry, this step is aimed at protecting national interests, strengthening the defense capability of the state and creating transparent mechanisms of access to subsoil.

It is expected that the approval of the lists will contribute to increasing the investment attractiveness of the extractive industry, development of industrial production and sustainable economic development of Ukraine.

In addition, the approval of the lists is one of the priority tasks for the successful implementation of the arrangements defined under the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the United States on the establishment of the American-Ukrainian Investment Recovery Fund.