Why it matters
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Dobra = Europe’s next lithium node: 150 kt+ LCE inferred resources (pre-war estimate) in battery-grade spodumene.
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Fast-track process: Inter-agency PSA commission has cleared the preparatory phase; public tender notice expected at the next meeting (Q3 2025).
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New 50/50 Reconstruction Fund with the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) offers political-risk cushioning and potential co-finance.
Tender architecture (draft)
| Parameter | Indicative design |
|---|---|
| Licence vehicle | Production-Sharing Agreement (PSA), 25 yrs + 15 yr extension |
| State take | 50 % profit share plus standard royalties & fees |
| Signature bonus | Indexed to resource tonnage (€ in the low tens of millions) |
| Local-content floor | 20 % CAPEX; downstream processing in-country preferred |
| ESG & transparency | Compliance with EITI 2019 and EU Critical Raw Materials Act |
| Bid security | ≈ €5 m bank guarantee |
(Final terms to be published in the official tender package.)
Fit with the U.S.–Ukraine minerals deal
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Pipeline pilot – Cabinet wants the Dobra PSA to be the fund’s first concrete project, signalling progress to Washington.
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Revenue split – Half of future state proceeds will capitalise the Fund for re-investment in Ukrainian infrastructure & defence supply chains.
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Investor overlay – U.S.-backed TechMet consortium and Austrian-Ukrainian JV groups have already submitted expressions of interest.
Investor checklist
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Geology & logistics: Deposit sits 25 km from rail; grid connection <10 km; water supply via pre-existing mine shafts.
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Security: Region is >400 km from front line; insured under MIGA war-risk carve-out.
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Regulatory path: Draft environmental code harmonised with EU standards; lithium added to fast-track permitting list.
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Tax baseline: 5 % royalty on Li-ore, CIT 18 %, import VAT deferral on critical-mining equipment until 2030.
Next steps
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July 2025 – PSA commission to approve final tender dossier.
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August – 90-day bid window opens on Prozorro.Sale platform.
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Q1 2026 – Winning consortium signs PSA; upfront bonus flows into the state/U.S. Reconstruction Fund.
“We are packaging Dobra as a showcase: transparent PSA, U.S. co-deRisk, and EU-grade ESG. The goal is to lock in strategic investors and plug Ukraine into global battery supply chains.”
— Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Economy
Foreign mining houses, battery manufacturers and critical-materials funds can register for tender alerts via psa.gov.ua or engage local advisors now to position bids.
