The American president with baking on his face speaks of a "billion-dollar deal" that will leave European countries far behind in the fight for the production of modern technologies. The papers were scheduled to be signed last Friday, but Trump's gathering with Volodymyr Zelenski ended in scandal. Now the Ukrainian leader declares readiness to agree with the White House.
But how crucial are Ukrainian natural materials deposits and what kind of business is possible? “Die Welt” asked 2 renowned experts. Axel Mueller is simply a prof. of mineralogy and natural materials geology at the Natural past Museum at the University of Oslo, Norway. Carsten Drebenstedt is simply a prof. of Mining at TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Their assessments partially contradict Trump's dreams, but alternatively point to the real possible of the agreement — and item the fundamental problems for Europe with respect to the improvement of natural materials.
Die Welt: Which natural materials in Ukraine are peculiarly crucial for the industry?
Axel Mueller: Titan is the focus of attention. Titan is simply a lightweight and hard metallic utilized in the aerospace and military industries, specified as fighters, helicopters, warships, tanks and long-range missiles. In times of global military weapons, this is 1 of the most sought after metals.
Moreover, Ukraine is 1 of the fewer countries with a closed production cycle in the titanium industry, ranging from the extraction of titanium ore to its processing and production of finished products.
Carsten Drebenstedt: All natural materials, from carbon through iron ore and manganese to titanium oxide, zirconium, kaolin and graphite, are crucial for the Ukrainian economy. They build value chains, specified as steelworks. Not forgetting the building materials industry.
What about uncommon earth metals, lithium, and another minerals needed for the alleged technology of the future — are they available in crucial quantities in Ukraine?
Mueller: Lithium deposits and uncommon earth metals in Ukraine, which are presently the subject of many discussions in the media, are of little importance than titanium, iron, manganese, kaolin, graphite and uranium. The exploitation of these deposits is now questionable — in the case of lithium due to uncertain deposits and in the case of uncommon earth metals due to low classes of ore and complex and costly processing.
There are many large deposits of lithium around the planet that are waiting for development, specified as deposits in Serbia. However, profitability and low natural materials prices hinder the improvement of Ukrainian deposits in the close future. The same applies to uncommon earth metallic deposits where the largest European deposits are located in Norway.
Drebenstedt: Nothing is known about the extraction of these strategical and sometimes key natural materials. The Ukrainian geological service has small information about these natural materials, specified as the state of exploration, specified as quantity and quality.
Russia utilized any of Ukrainian natural materials
Which natural materials in Ukraine have peculiarly advanced possible and where are they?
Mueller:
Drebenstedt: It is highly likely that the geological formation of the Ukrainian Tarcza, which extends from the south-east to the northwest in the central part of the country, has advanced deposit potential. Nickel, cobalt, chromium, copper, niobium, beryllium, lithium, uncommon earth metals and another metals were besides identified there. However, there is no information available to confirm or measure this.
Are there crucial deposits in the territory occupied by Russia?
Mueller: Ukraine has the largest manganese resources in Europe, the extraction of which will surely be further developed — these deposits are located in Russia's occupied territory of southeastern Ukraine. Most kaolin deposits are besides located in occupied territory.
Drebenstedt: A large part of coal and ore deposits, as well as a part of uncommon earth metallic deposits, dense mineral sands and uranium are located in occupied territories and is no longer available for Ukraine.
How much did the war affect the production of natural materials in Ukraine?
Mueller: As a consequence of the attack, mineral production decreased by more than 50% for most natural materials in 2022. Since then, the production of natural materials has improved slightly, but is inactive well below pre-war levels.
Drebenstedt: Of course, the war importantly affected the production of natural materials. If the steelworks are acquired or damaged, no ore or coking coal can be used. The demolition of heat plants has a negative impact on request for coal and gas. Furthermore, the capacity to transport Ukrainian natural materials to the planet marketplace is severely limited, especially by sea. A skilled workforce is besides missing. It is worth noting that the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure and the construction of fresh infrastructure with the usage of national building materials is already underway.
Problems with mining. Giant Costs
In the current situation, how much of the Ukrainian natural material possible can truly be extracted, and what does that fundamentally depend on?
Mueller: The anticipation of extracting natural materials is fundamentally determined by the content of ore, the size of the deposit, the price of the natural material, availability and transport routes. The main advantage of Ukraine is that a large part of the ore mined is more or little enriched and refined on site, which importantly increases the creation of value and profitability.
Drebenstedt: To measure the usefulness of natural material potential, first we request reliable information from search reports according to global standards, which are then processed in feasibility studies. This involves, for example, obtaining information on the quantity of natural material, the content of natural material and its distribution, depth, geological conditions and another factors in order to choice method means for extraction and processing according to advanced safety and environmental standards and to calculate their investment and operational costs. Only if the cost of the product is lower than the price on the planet marketplace will the deposits become interesting. If not, for example, further investigation and improvement of improved technologies will be needed.
How long does it usually take to find a mine to extract natural materials?
Mueller: In Europe, around 10 years have passed since the discovery of natural materials for their extraction. For example, in the case of Engebofjellet titanium deposit in Norway, which was launched last year, this period was 17 years. erstwhile the Critical natural Materials Act (CRMA) came into force in May, The European Union has set itself the nonsubjective of granting licences for the extraction of critical natural materials within 27 months by 2030. The degree to which this is feasible will be discussed at the 4th Leibniz-Sozietaet der Wissenschaften zu Berlin on 20 May.
Drebenstedt:
High investment in the improvement of fresh deposits would be needed — an chance for Europeans?
Mueller: Overall, the chance would come as shortly as peace yet came to Ukraine. The biggest barrier to the European mineral manufacture is the financing of natural materials projects by local banks. specified projects are mostly considered risky and many European banks are reluctant to finance them. Banks in countries with quite a few experience in active mining specified as the USA, Australia, Canada and South Africa behave differently.
Risk capital is rapidly made available from these countries, which means that European projects frequently lose. Theoretically, it does not substance who yet extracts natural materials, if the processing manufacture has access to them; it is crucial that countries cooperate in peaceful coexistence. Unfortunately, the current geopolitical situation is exacerbating, and national interests in relation to natural materials and the fight for access to them are now becoming very visible.
Drebenstedt: Large investments are needed. In the past, Germany has not utilized the chance to participate in global natural materials projects, even in natural materials partnerships with Mongolia and Kazakhstan. We seem to have forgotten how to do it. There are only a fewer German mining companies abroad.
Germany's strengths in the natural materials and energy sectors lie mainly in consulting, engineering and construction of machinery and equipment. Berlin could undertake tasks to assist Ukraine in reconstruction by exploiting the possible of its deposits. For example, in TU Bergakademie Freiberg, for example, the improvement of investigation and teaching in the natural materials sector in Kosovo and Afghanistan was already supported to launch the value chain.
Axel Mueller is simply a prof. of mineralogy and natural materials geology at the Natural past Museum at the University of Oslo, Norway. He previously worked as a search geologist in the Norwegian Geological Service and for global mining companies worldwide.
Carsten Drebenstedt is simply a prof. of Mining at TU Bergakademie Freiberg. He had previously worked in the mining manufacture for almost 20 years. He is simply a associate of the Saxon Academy of Sciences and another global technological academies. He is simply a visiting and honorary prof. and honorary doctor at universities in respective countries, including Ukraine.
