Who controls Ukraine’s mineral deposits?

Analysts report that 3,482 valid special permits for the use of Ukraine’s subsoil are held by 2,268 companies and 78 individuals. A significant portion of these special permits is concentrated among corporate groups and individuals that are currently under sanctions. Most companies that possess special permits hold just one valid permit, although some companies have dozens or even hundreds. For instance, state-owned enterprises Ukrgazvydobuvannya and Ukrnafta have the largest number of permits, with 213 and 89, respectively.

The private sector features key players like SCM, Smart Holding, Zakhidnadraservice, Istvan, and ATB. Furthermore, the ownership structure of 351 companies holding permits indicates the involvement of foreign capital from 51 different countries, with Cyprus, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK being the most prominent.

Additionally, 39 companies have special permits for 16 of the 50 critical minerals, with ten of these being state-owned. Notably, seven state-owned companies possess a special permit for germanium usage, and Demurinsky MPP is authorized to utilize ores of several critical minerals, including vanadium, niobium, and scandium. United Mining and Chemical Company also holds a special permit for five of the 50 critical mineral resources.