Ukraine declassifies information about mineral resources
MOSCOW. June 30 (Interfax) - Ukraine has declassified information about certain mineral resources, including critical minerals, as a Soviet-era remnant, Ukrainian media said, citing Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Minister Svetlana Grinchuk as saying.
"The classification has been revoked, and we are completing all bureaucratic procedures so that we can continue to work fully with investors without such hindrances," the media quoted Grinchuk as saying at the State and Business: From Dialogue to Partnership forum.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is helping digitalize geological data, plenty of which is available on paper, Grinchuk said.
"We are conducting additional negotiations with DFC to expand the project. We have digitalized 6,000 geological reports so far. The work continues, an agreement on the second stage was signed just one week ago, and the next 60,000 books with geological data will be digitalized in the near future," she said.
National lists of minerals have been drafted together with the Economy Ministry based on lists of strategic and critical minerals defined by the European Critical Raw Materials Act, the U.S. Defense Production Act and President Trump's executive order, she said.
"We have listed materials deals in regard to which will be concluded at tenders or by production sharing agreements. Hopefully, the government decision on these crucial documents will be ready within two weeks," Grinchuk said.
Intensive work with foreign geological services, both European and U.S., began last fall to improve the quality and accessibility of geological data in Ukraine, she said, adding that a 3D model of the Zavalievsky graphite deposit had been created together with the French geological service.
According to the order of the Security Service of Ukraine dated May 29 this year, the only mineral whose reserves and mining capabilities remain secret in Ukraine is uranium, whereas such information about gold, platinum, diamonds, lithium, titanium, palladium, zirconium, iridium, etc. was classified in the past.
