Government returns special permits for titanium mining to state, PM Svyrydenko says

This was announced by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

“The government has returned strategic natural assets to the state. Special permits for the use of the Malyshevske deposit in the Dnipropetrovsk region, as well as the Valky-Hatskivske and Mezhyrichne deposits in the Zhytomyr region, have been suspended in view of the sanctions imposed on the ultimate beneficial owner, Dmytro Firtash,” the statement said.

According to Svyrydenko, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has included these deposits in the list of subsoil areas for which special permits may be granted through transparent electronic auctions. This opens up opportunities for attracting conscientious investors and developing production on competitive and open terms.

Now the government is waiting for initiatives from businesses to obtain the right to use these subsoil resources through open auctions.

At the same time, the State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine is conducting an audit of so-called “dormant” special permits for the use of strategic minerals. In total, there are 38 special permits. The results of this work are expected in the near future.

As reported, the government is conducting an audit of inactive and problematic special permits for strategic minerals and oil and gas subsoil. Currently, the audit has established that for 29 documents issued for strategic minerals and 10 for oil and gas-bearing subsoil, production has not begun or the work program has been significantly violated. Half of the current licenses were issued more than ten years ago. Appropriate decisions will be made regarding these documents.