By Tass

Copyright tass

MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. A delegation from the United States has arrived in Ukraine’s Kirovograd Region to assess the state of mineral deposits for potential extraction within the framework of the mineral deal between the countries, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Alexey Sobolev said.

“Together with a delegation from the US International Development Finance Corporation, we visited the Kirovograd Region to assess investment opportunities in the field of mining and processing,” he wrote on Facebook (prohibited in Russia due to ownership by Meta, which has been designated an extremist organization).

According to him, these deposits are currently producing titanium ore and the possibility of mining zirconium ore in the future is being explored. The official added that the plot has a potential hafnium deposit. This resource is primarily used in the nuclear industry and aviation.

Earlier, the Ukrainian cabinet of ministers launched the bidding process for the development of the Dobra lithium field which is seen as a priority within the framework of the agreement on mineral assets signed with the US over a month ago. The agreement provides for the establishment of an investment fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction which will receive 50% of the country’s revenues from the extraction of mineral resources. The US will be the foundation’s main beneficiary and will also control its activity, including issuing licenses and conducting audits. That said, the agreement’s final version, according to European and Ukrainian media outlets, left out the amount of $500 billion that Kiev must return to the US for maintaining the foundation. A provision that funds from the foundation will be invested in projects in Ukraine was added to the text.