Ukraine did not export any titanium-bearing ore or concentrate from January through April of this year, whereas in the first four months of last year it exported 277 tons worth $496,000.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), this raw material was not exported in December of last year either.
In January–April 2026, Ukraine did not export niobium, tantalum, vanadium, or zirconium ores and concentrates, but imported 115 tons of such ores worth $265,000 from Spain (91.32% of imports by value) and the Czech Republic (8.68%).
As reported, in 2025 Ukraine reduced exports of titanium-bearing ores and concentrates by 96.2% in volume terms compared to 2024—to 277 tons; in monetary terms, exports fell by 95.7%—to $496,000. The main export destinations were Uzbekistan (35.61% of shipments in monetary terms), Turkey (35.01%), and Egypt (29.38%).
In addition, Ukraine imported 78 tons of titanium-bearing ore worth $118,000 from China (98.29%, shipments took place in January) and Kazakhstan (1.71%, shipments took place in May) last year.
During this period, Ukraine exported 2,466 thousand 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 469 tons of such ores worth $1.194 million from Spain (72.86%), the Czech Republic (13.82%), and China (11.14%).
At the same time, experts pointed out discrepancies in the statistics on exports of titanium-bearing ores. However, in response to a request from the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the State Customs Service reported that complete data on titanium raw material exports is not provided due to restrictions on the volume of export and import operations involving military and dual-use goods, which are reflected in aggregate form under the heading “Other goods.” At the same time, they explained that, in particular, shipments of titanium-bearing ores from companies differ from the State Customs Service’s data.
“We would like to inform you that these shipments 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 UCCTZED commodity code 2614 ‘Titanium ores and concentrates’ due to the following (…) In accordance with the provisions (…), for the purpose of data protection and confidentiality, any information deemed confidential is reported in full at the next, higher level of data aggregation regarding the goods,” the State Customs Service explained in its response to the agency.
It was clarified that information regarding customs clearance and the movement across Ukraine’s customs border of goods subject to export control is included in the list of information containing official data at the State Customs Service, in accordance with the relevant order.
In Ukraine, titanium-bearing ores are currently mined primarily by PJSC “United Mining and Chemical Company” (UMCC), which now manages the Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMC, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast) and the Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGZK, Zhytomyr Oblast), as well as to Mezhyrichyn Mining and Processing Plant LLC and Valky-Ilmenite LLC (both LLCs are located in Irshansk, Zhytomyr Oblast). 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.
