Foreign Ownership and Control Over Ukraine’s Critical Mineral Resources

Ukraine’s mineral resources, including key critical minerals such as titanium, lithium, and graphite, are being utilised by a diverse range of domestic and foreign-owned companies. The latest data indicates that 2,268 companies and 78 individuals hold special permits to access and use these valuable resources. The entities behind these operations are spread across 51 countries, with significant involvement from well-known Ukrainian corporate groups such as SCM, Smart-holding, and Zakhidnadraservis.

A detailed analysis by YouControl revealed that out of the 3,482 special permits issued for the exploitation of mineral resources, a number of companies hold multiple permits for different minerals. For example, state-owned JSC Ukrgazvydobuvannya has 213 permits, while PJSC Ukrnafta holds 89. Other notable groups, including SCM, Smart-holding, and Istvan, each control several companies with special access to these resources.

Companies with the Highest Number of Special Permits

One of the most prominent foreign interests in Ukrainian minerals comes from Cyprus, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. These countries are major stakeholders in the companies exploiting Ukrainian mineral wealth. A significant portion of the critical minerals extracted includes materials such as titanium, germanium, zinc, beryllium, and lithium, all of which are crucial for global industries ranging from electronics to energy.

Foreign Ownership by Country

The report also highlights the involvement of sanctioned individuals and groups, such as those associated with businessman Dmytro Firtash’s Group DF, which controls companies extracting titanium and zirconium. Other groups, like Velta, owned by Andriy Brodskyi, are linked to the extraction of titanium ores. The company TOV Ukrlithiumvydobuvannya, associated with Serhiy Tabalov, holds the sole permit for lithium extraction in Ukraine.

Notable Ukrainian Groups and Their Mineral Holdings