Legal extraction of amber in Ukraine has increased by 1,400%; the state issued more than 400 permits for subsoil use.

Last year, the amount of legal amber mining in Ukraine reached 39.2 tons, 1,400% more than in 2019 before the law that legalized its mining came into force, reported the State Geology and Subsoil Service.

Last year, ₴35.4M in rent was paid for the use of amber-bearing subsoil, 30% of which was directed to the budgets of territorial communities. In total, during the years 2020-2023, 90 subsoil plots with a total area of 3,800 hectares were sold in the Rivne and Zhytomyr regions for ₴144.7M. Last year, the largest legal producer of amber was the Volynpryrodresurs enterprise, which mined 14.67 tons.

In total, the State Geological Survey issued 465 special permits last year, which is 58% more than in 2022. The amount collected from subsoil use reached a record ₴2.4B. The most popular mineral was sand, with 22 special permits sold for ₴180M. The most expensive lot was an andesite mining permit sold for ₴75M.