Petro-Consulting LLC (Kyiv), which early this year received a permit from the State Service of Geology and Deposits of Ukraine to produce lithium ores in the Shevchenkivske field (Velyka Novosilka district of Donetsk region) with 14 million tonnes of deposits, plans to attract a majority foreign partner for developing the field and start production in 2021. “Preliminary feasibility study shows the need to invest more than $120 million in the creation of: industrial infrastructure (electricity, gas, water supply and sewage, road construction to the railway station and the road between the mine and the dressing plant), the construction of a mine at a depth of at least 500 meters and a dressing plant,” the director of the company Ihor Kolomiyets told Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, for the implementation of the mine construction project, a feasibility study was ordered in one of the international consulting companies.
Kolomiyets said that currently negotiations are being conducted with international investors who have experience in mining of metal ores in mines, enrichment of lithium ores at lithium dressing plants and distribution of lithium concentrate.
“Petro-Consulting has signed a letter of intent with two international companies and is negotiating the signing of the respective contracts. Investors will be attracted on the terms of their participation in the capital, as well as assistance in attracting loans. It is also planned to conclude a long-term off-take agreement,” the company’s director said, adding that one of the companies already has a similar project.
Commenting on publications in the media about the alleged connection of Petro-Consulting with People’s Deputy Ihor Kononenko, Deputy Head of the National Security and Defense Council Oleh Hladkovsky, businessman Vasyl Khmelnytsky, the director of the company categorically denied this.
