Yehor Perelygin presents vision for investment development in critical minerals at SCMR Conference

On October 7, during the annual conference of the State Commission of Ukraine on Mineral Resources (SCMR) in Kyiv, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Yehor Perelygin outlined a vision for developing investments in the critical minerals sector and key directions of state policy in this area. The event was also attended by Deputy Minister of Energy Mykola Kolisnyk, Head of the State Service of Geology and Mineral Resources Oleh Hotsynets, representatives of the international company Marsh McLennan Group, and industry experts.

In his speech, Yehor Perelygin highlighted the role of the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund as a key tool for attracting private capital to the extraction and processing of strategic raw materials, creating new production chains, and integrating Ukraine into the global critical materials market. The Fund aims to establish an investment corridor where public resources act as a catalyst for private investments. This will be achieved through a wide range of financial instruments, including:

- Equity investments;

- Loan programs;

- Co-financing with private investors;

- Long-term offtake contracts.

These mechanisms will enable Ukrainian companies to secure financing at the preparation or production stages.

“The Fund will serve as a market maker, an operator that shapes new markets and industries through strategic investments. We are creating a tool that opens the sector to investments, saturates the market with financial mechanisms and risk management tools, including export-related ones. On a global scale, the Fund will act as a de-risking instrument for the supply chains of our international partners. Every dollar of the Fund’s equity should attract several dollars of private co-investment,” said Deputy Minister Yehor Perelygin.

Citing Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the Deputy Minister noted that to meet global demand for battery technologies by 2030, 293 new mining projects must be commissioned. Meanwhile, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, confirmed reserves of battery metals and related critical minerals have increased several-fold over the past decade, indicating active discovery of new deposits. However, many countries face challenges in scaling up processing capacities.

Ukraine has significant potential to attract investments in this sector, not only in extraction but also in developing the midstream processing segment, which generates the majority of added value.

The Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture is currently finalizing a specialized resolution to regulate key aspects of the Fund’s operations in relation to the state management system and the executive branch.

The Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, a joint initiative of the Ukrainian and U.S. governments, was established to attract private investments into strategically important sectors of the Ukrainian economy. The Fund was officially launched on May 23, 2025.