The Ministry of Economy has determined the winner of the tender for the development of the Dobra deposit under the production sharing agreement (PSA) mechanism. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko has announced this.
This is the first time in Ukraine that private capital has been attracted to lithium mining through a partnership with the state. The winner was the consortium Dobra Lithium Holdings JV, LLC, which includes the American companies Techmet and The Rock Holdings.
According to the terms of the project, the minimum investment will be USD 179 million. At the first stage, the investor will spend USD 12 million on geological exploration and international audit of reserves. If the industrial potential of the deposit is confirmed, another USD 167 million will be invested in the creation of facilities for the extraction and processing of ore.
"The PSA mechanism allows investors to extract minerals in partnership with the state. At the same time, the deposit remains the property of the people of Ukraine," said Yuliia Svyrydenko.
Lithium is a key component for the production of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems. Due to its high energy density, this metal allows for the creation of lightweight and powerful batteries, the demand for which is growing rapidly in the world due to the transition to renewable energy.
According to the relevant ministry, the participation of systemic players from the United States will allow Ukraine to introduce modern processing technologies necessary for the production of high value-added products.
"This project opens up opportunities for Ukraine to enter the global lithium industry together with American partners. The Dobra site is only the first of the plan to integrate Ukraine into the supply chains of our partners," the minister added.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the NYT said that a company associated with Trump has received the right to develop one of the largest lithium deposits in Ukraine.
Trump emphasized that he had signed an economic agreement with Ukraine, which provides access to land resources and this agreement is of great importance for the US economy and security.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said that the agreement on economic cooperation between Ukraine and the United States, signed on April 30, is an important step towards ending the full-scale war in Ukraine.
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