Map #Geological #Structure and Useful #Mines #GeologicSurveyOfficeinКиїв

FYI:
Same map that I posted 14 days ago.

Ukraine’s Mineral Wealth: A Neglected Geopolitical Factor

The Hidden Dimension of the Conflict

While military strategies and political alliances dominate discussions about Ukraine, a crucial element remains largely overlooked: Ukraine’s substantial mineral resources. This metallogenic map, which I shared previously, reveals the country’s rich deposits, including strategically important lithium reserves.

These resources likely represent a significant factor in current geopolitical calculations. I believe they may become a component in future peace negotiations, potentially involving economic arrangements that could provide both reconstruction assistance for Ukraine and resource access for international partners.

Historical Perspective: Resource Wars Then and Now

The current situation evokes memories of another resource-driven conflict. In 1969, as “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” played on radios worldwide, the Vietnam War was reaching its peak intensity. Under Presidents Johnson and Nixon, the United States dropped over 7.5 million tons of bombs across Southeast Asia—more than twice the amount used during World War II.

While the stated objective was containing communism, access to resources has historically been an underacknowledged factor in many conflicts. As a university student during that period, I witnessed how economic interests often remained unstated in official narratives.

The Media’s Blind Spot

Since February 24, 2022, I’ve noted a striking omission in coverage from even prestigious publications like Foreign Affairs, The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal. Despite thousands of analyses by war specialists, virtually none have addressed the geopolitical importance of Ukraine’s vast mineral, coal, and fossil fuel deposits.

Even in Secretary Blinken’s recent article “America’s Strategy of Renewal” (Foreign Affairs, Nov./Dec. 2024), this crucial dimension went unmentioned.

Personal Connection: Early Post-Soviet Resource Development

My interest in this region’s resources dates back to 1991 during the final days of the USSR. Working with Placid Oil Dallas (owned by the Hunt family), I participated in one of the first capitalist ventures in the still-communist Soviet Union, developing oil fields in the Tomsk region of Siberia.

This experience gave me firsthand insight into how resource considerations shape international relations during periods of geopolitical transformation—a perspective that seems increasingly relevant to understanding today’s situation in Ukraine.

Photo credit: My picture, February 12, 2025, Dutch TV: Geological Survey Office in Київ.

25th February, Credit BBC:

A senior Ukrainian official says the US and Ukraine have agreed the terms of a minerals deal – here’s everything we know and don’t know about it

What minerals does Ukraine actually have?published at 23:3223:32

It’s estimated that about 5% of the world’s “critical raw materials” are in Ukraine – including:

• 19 million tonnes of proven reserves of graphite, which is used to make batteries for electric vehicles
• A third of all European lithium deposits, the key component in current batteries
• Before Russia’s full-scale invasion began three years ago, Ukraine also accounted for 7% of titanium production across the globe – used in construction for everything from aeroplanes to power stations
• Ukrainian land also contains significant deposits of rare earth metals – these are a group of 17 elements that are used to produce weapons, wind turbines, electronics and other products vital in the modern world

Some of the mineral deposits, however, have been seized by Russia. According to Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s economy minister, resources worth $350bn (£277bn) remain in occupied territories today.