The Sukha Balka mine (Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region), part of Alexander Yaroslavsky’s DCH group, is commissioning a new iron ore deposit block, Golovnyi, at the Yuvileina mine.
According to a report in the DCH Steel corporate newspaper on Thursday, preparations for the new production capacity at the mine have been completed.
It is specified that in early November, a specialized commission consisting of leading specialists of the enterprise and representatives of the State Labor Service of Ukraine signed an act on the commissioning of mining block 13-17. It is located in the Golovnoy deposit at a depth of 1,420 meters, sub-level 3A.
The block’s projected reserves amount to 221,300 tons of ore with an iron content of 60.75%.
“This is a large block that we have been preparing for production for almost a year, and its reserves will be enough for six months of stable operation of the enterprise,” said Mykola Puntus, chief engineer of the Yuvileina mine.
It is also reported that at the Tsentralna mine, the drainage pond at the -1260 m and -1340 m levels has been repaired. The diameter of the new pipeline between these underground levels is 325 mm. The Tsentralna mine is part of the Yuvileina mine. A drainage pond is a hydraulic engineering structure designed to collect water and is a critical part of the mine drainage system.
The Sukha Balka mine is one of the leading enterprises in the mining industry in Ukraine. It extracts iron ore using underground mining methods. The mine includes the Yuvileina and Frunze mines.
The DCH Group acquired the mine from the Evraz Group in May 2017.
DCH, Mine, ORE, SUKHA BALKA, Yuvileina
In January-October of this year, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates in physical terms by 95.2% compared to the same period last year, to 277 tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Wednesday, exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates fell by 94.7% in monetary terms, to $496,000. The main exports were to Uzbekistan (35.61% of shipments in monetary terms), Turkey (35.01%), and Egypt (29.38%).
In addition, Ukraine imported 78 tons of titanium-containing ore worth $117,000 from China (98.29%, deliveries took place in January) and Kazakhstan (1.71%, deliveries took place in May) in the first 10 months of 2025.
During this period, Ukraine exported 2,466 tons of niobium, tantalum, vanadium, and zirconium ores and concentrates worth $3.954 million to Spain (48.90%), Germany (24.53%), and Italy (17.19%). At the same time, the country imported 417 tons of such ores worth $1.068 million from Spain (72.38%), the Czech Republic (12.73%), and China (12.45%).
As reported, in 2024, Ukraine reduced its exports of titanium-containing ores in physical terms by 37.5% compared to the previous year, to 7,284 thousand tons. In monetary terms, exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrate decreased by 40% to $11.654 million. The main exports were to Turkey (62.82% of supplies in monetary terms), Egypt (7.38%), and Poland (6.93%).
Last year, Ukraine imported 314 tons of titanium-containing ore worth $492 thousand from China (87.78%), Vietnam (6.11%), and Senegal (also 6.11%).
At the same time, experts pointed out the inconsistency of statistics on exports of titanium-containing ores. However, in response to a request from Interfax-Ukraine, the State Customs Service (SFS) of Ukraine stated that complete data on the export of titanium raw materials is not provided due to restrictions on the volume of export and import operations with military and dual-use goods, which are reflected in aggregate form under “Other goods.” They explained that, in particular, deliveries of titanium-containing ores from companies differ from the SCS data.
“We would like to inform you that these deliveries are included in the statistical exports from Ukraine, but are not reflected in the foreign trade statistics published by the State Customs Service (…) under commodity item UKTZED 2614 ”Titanium ores and concentrates” in view of the following (…) In accordance with the provisions (…), when protecting data for confidentiality purposes, any information considered confidential is reported in full at the next, higher level of product data aggregation,” the State Customs Service explained in its response to the agency.
It was clarified that information on customs clearance and movement across the customs border of Ukraine of goods subject to export control is included in the list of information containing official information in the SSU, in accordance with the relevant order.
In Ukraine, titanium-containing ores are currently mined mainly by PJSC “United Mining and Chemical Company” (UMCC), which manages the Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK, Dnipropetrovsk region) and the Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGZK, Zhytomyr region), as well as LLC “Mezhirichensky GZK” and LLC “Valky-Ilmenite” (both LLCs are located in Irshansk, Zhytomyr region). In addition, the production and commercial firm Velta (Dnipro) built a mining and processing plant at the Birzulivskyi deposit with a capacity of 240,000 tons of ilmenite concentrate per year.
The Sukha Balka mine (Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region), part of Alexander Yaroslavsky’s DCH group, has started work on a new horizon of the Druzhba iron ore deposit at the Frunze mine.
According to a report in the DCH Steel corporate newspaper on Thursday, work on the block began on October 16.
It is specified that block 45-51 is located in the sub-levels of horizons -1210m and -1227m of the Druzhba deposit. It is noted that this is the first block of the new horizon to be developed using modern technology.
The block’s reserves amount to about 49,000 tons of high-quality raw materials. The average iron content is 61.22%.
It is expected that the block’s reserves will be sufficient for three months of stable operation.
The Sukha Balka mine is one of the leading enterprises in the mining industry in Ukraine. It extracts iron ore using underground methods. The mine includes the Yuvileina and Frunze mines.
The DCH Group acquired the mine from the Evraz Group in May 2017.
The Sukha Balka mine (Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region), part of Alexander Yaroslavsky’s DCH group, has prepared two new blocks for iron ore extraction at the Yuvileina mine.
According to a report in the DCH Steel corporate newspaper on Thursday, block 34-40 of the Golovnyi deposit at a depth of 1,420 meters was commissioned in early September. It contains 124,700 tons of raw materials with an average iron content of 60.15%. These volumes will be sufficient for three months of operation.
“The block was commissioned on schedule, and the preparatory work was carried out efficiently in compliance with technological standards,” said Mykola Puntus, chief engineer of the Yuvileina mine.
The next production task for the Yubileinaya miners is to prepare production unit 65-69 from the Shurfa deposit at a depth of 1,340 meters with ore reserves of 34,000 tons. The average iron content in the deposit is 59.29%. Preparatory work was organized with the help of self-propelled equipment.
The new unit is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of September.
The Sukha Balka mine is one of the leading enterprises in the mining industry in Ukraine. It extracts iron ore using underground methods. The mine includes the Yubileinaya and Frunze mines.
The DCH Group acquired the mine from the Evraz Group in May 2017.
In January-August of this year, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates in physical terms by 94.2% compared to the same period last year, to 277 tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), in monetary terms, exports of titanium-bearing ores and concentrate decreased by 93.7% to $496,000.
The main exports were to Uzbekistan (35.61% of shipments in monetary terms), Turkey (35.01%), and Egypt (29.38%).
In addition, Ukraine imported 24 tons of titanium-containing ore worth $39,000 from China (94.87%, deliveries took place in January) and Uzbekistan (5.13%, deliveries took place in May) in the first eight months of 2025.
In the first eight months of 2025, Ukraine exported 2,466 tons of niobium, tantalum, vanadium, and zirconium ores and concentrates worth $3.954 million to Spain (48.90%), Germany (24.53%), and Italy (17.19%). At the same time, the country imported 321 tons of such ores worth $841 thousand from Spain (68.05%), China (15.8%), and the Czech Republic (13.06%).
As reported, in 2024, Ukraine reduced its exports of titanium-containing ores in physical terms by 37.5% compared to the previous year, to 7,284 thousand tons. In monetary terms, exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates decreased by 40% to $11.654 million. The main exports were to Turkey (62.82% of supplies in monetary terms), Egypt (7.38%), and Poland (6.93%).
Last year, Ukraine imported 314 tons of titanium-containing ore worth $492 thousand from China (87.78%), Vietnam (6.11%), and Senegal (also 6.11%).
At the same time, experts pointed out the inconsistency of statistics on exports of titanium-containing ores. However, in response to a request from Interfax-Ukraine, the State Customs Service (SFS) of Ukraine stated that complete data on the export of titanium raw materials is not provided due to restrictions on the volume of export and import operations with military and dual-use goods, which are reflected in aggregate form under “Other goods.”
They explained that, in particular, deliveries of titanium-containing ores from companies differ from the SCS data.
“We would like to inform you that these deliveries are included in the statistical exports from Ukraine, but are not reflected in the foreign trade statistics published by the State Customs Service (…) under commodity item UKTZED 2614 ”Titanium ores and concentrates” in view of the following (…) In accordance with the regulations (…), when protecting data for confidentiality purposes, any information considered confidential is reported in full at the next, higher level of product data aggregation,” the State Customs Service explained in its response to the agency.
It was clarified that information on customs clearance and movement across the customs border of Ukraine of goods subject to export control is included in the list of information containing official information in the SSU, in accordance with the relevant order.
In Ukraine, titanium-containing ores are currently mined mainly by PJSC “United Mining and Chemical Company” (UMCC), which manages the Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK, Dnipropetrovsk region) and the Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGZK, Zhytomyr region), as well as LLC “Mezhirichensky GZK” and LLC “Valky-Ilmenite” (both LLCs are located in Irshansk, Zhytomyr region). In addition, the production and commercial firm Velta (Dnipro) built a mining and processing plant at the Birzulivskyi deposit with a capacity of 240,000 tons of ilmenite concentrate per year.
In January-July of this year, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates in physical terms by 93.6% compared to the same period last year, to 277 tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Tuesday, in monetary terms, exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates decreased by 93.1% to $496 thousand.
The main exports were to Uzbekistan (35.61% of shipments in monetary terms), Turkey (35.01%), and Egypt (29.38%).
In addition, Ukraine imported 24 tons of titanium-containing ores worth $39 thousand from China (94.87%, deliveries took place in January) and Uzbekistan (5.13%, deliveries took place in May) in the first seven months of 2025.
In addition, in the first seven months of 2025, Ukraine exported 2,466 tons of niobium, tantalum, vanadium, and zirconium ores and concentrates worth $3.954 million to Spain (48.90%), Germany (24.53%), and Italy (17.19%). At the same time, the country imported 294 tons of such ores worth $774 thousand from Spain (67.35%), China (17.16%), and the Czech Republic (12.13%).
As reported, in 2024, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium-containing ores in physical terms by 37.5% compared to the previous year, to 7,284 thousand tons. In monetary terms, exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates decreased by 40% to $11.654 million. The main exports were to Turkey (62.82% of shipments in monetary terms), Egypt (7.38%), and Poland (6.93%).
Last year, Ukraine imported 314 tons of titanium-containing ore worth $492 thousand from China (87.78%), Vietnam (6.11%), and Senegal (also 6.11%).
At the same time, experts pointed to discrepancies in statistics on exports of titanium-containing ores. However, in response to a request from Interfax-Ukraine, the State Customs Service (DMS) of Ukraine stated that complete data on exports of titanium raw materials is not provided due to restrictions on the volume of export and import operations with military and dual-use goods, which are reflected in aggregate form under “Other goods.”
They explained that, in particular, deliveries of titanium-containing ores from companies differ from the SCS data.
“We would like to inform you that these deliveries are included in the statistical exports from Ukraine, but are not reflected in the foreign trade statistics published by the State Customs Service (…) under the UKTZED commodity code 2614 ”Titanium ores and concentrates” due to the following (…) In accordance with the provisions (…), when protecting data for confidentiality purposes, any information considered confidential shall be reported in full at the next higher level of product data aggregation,” the State Customs Service explained in its response to the agency.
It was clarified that information on customs clearance and movement across the customs border of Ukraine of goods subject to export control is included in the list of information containing official information in the State Customs Service, in accordance with the relevant order.
In Ukraine, titanium-containing ores are currently mined mainly by PJSC United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC), which manages the Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK, Dnipropetrovsk region) and the Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGZK, Zhytomyr region), as well as LLC Mezhyrichensky GZK and LLC Valky-Ilmenit (both LLCs are located in Irshansk, Zhytomyr region). In addition, the production and commercial firm Velta (Dnipro) built a mining and processing plant at the Birzulivskoye deposit with a capacity of 240,000 tons of ilmenite concentrate per year.
