Military and financial aid to Ukraine in exchange for his Critic raw materialsincluding rare lands: this would be the agreement that Donald Trump He would like to stipulate with Kiev. Ukraine, in fact, is One of the top ten suppliers in the world (and the first in Europe) of strategic mineral resourcesof enormous economic importance especially for the technological industry and for the energy transition, but whose supply is limited. In particular, the country hosts about 20,000 deposits they provide overall 116 different types of minerals. Among the most important critical raw materials of Ukraine are the rare earth (Rare Earth Elements –Ree), the titanium, the lithium, the beryllium, the manganese, the nickel, the copper, the gallium, the graphite. The richest Ukrainian regions of these resources are the eastern ones, such as the Donbasson which Russia’s interest falls.
Because Ukraine is so rich in mining resources
Ukraine mining is linked to the particular geology of its territory. The central part of the country is occupied by Ukrainian shielda flat surface that occupies an area of About 250,000 km2 From the Azov Sea to the south to the border with Belarus. This surface is what remains of mountain ranges dating back to Foreclosurealso ancient 3.7 billion years and now dismantled by erosion. The Ukrainian shield is made up of Metamorphic rocks (like the Gneiss) e magmatic (like the granites), covered with layers of rocks sedimentary Hundreds of meters thick even hundreds. These rocks have a very heterogeneous chemical composition, which determines the presence of one great variety of minerals from which many are obtained metals which are part of the list of Critic raw materials drawn up in 2023 by the European Commission. On the territory there are also many deposits which, even if they do not provide criticism raw materials, are a source of Other very important mining resourcesfor example uranium, iron, zirconium, apatite and gold.
What are the deposits of critical raw materials in Ukraine
Among the most important deposits of critical raw materials present in the Ukrainian territory are those of:
- rare earthwhich include 17 Chemical elements including Europe, Luthezio and Cerio, used in the creation of electric smartphones and cars, computer and wind turbines; In Ukraine it is estimated that the rare earth reserves contained in Azov deposit exceed those of the most important deposits in North America, even if they are currently not yet exploited;
- lithiumpresent in the deposits of the Region of Donetskin Eastern Ukraine, ea Kirovogradin its central part (it is estimated that the country in 500,000 tons are guests); Lithium is fundamental in the production of rechargeable batteries and in the imagination of energy generated by renewable sources;
- titaniumwhich is mainly used in the aeronautical and aerospace industry, in the medical sector and in the production of cements; Ukraine hosts the largest titanium reserves in Europe and the 7% of the world ones;
- graphiteof which the Ukraine holds well 20% of the world reserves and that, among the many applications, is used in electrical and nuclear systems;
- galliumof which Ukraine is the fifth world producer and which is essential to produce semiconductors and LEDs;
- berylliumpresent in the deposits of Howeverin the north-west of the country and used in particular in the medical, nuclear and electronic sectors.
To deepen the topic, we made a dedicated video:
