"The U.S. is primarily interested in uranium," says economist Alexey Kusch about the minerals that attract American attention.
The administration of Donald Trump is interested in securing a deal that would provide the U.S. access to rare earth metals and other resources from Ukraine. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the proposed U.S. deal for mineral extraction in Ukraine. According to analyst Alexey Kusch from the Analytical Center "United Ukraine," the decision to decline the U.S. proposals was quite justified, as it appeared that the U.S. intended to establish an agreement based on an "open raw materials list," which would allow them to revert to old neocolonial practices and severely damage Ukraine's reputation.
When discussing the minerals of interest to the U.S., experts note that this includes both rare and common minerals. The U.S. Geological Survey regularly publishes a list of 50 mineral resources critically essential for American industry. Alongside rare earth metals, this list features other vital elements for various industries, such as titanium, aluminum, graphite, magnesium, zinc, tin, lithium, and manganese. These valuable minerals are also found in Ukraine.
According to him, the U.S. is also interested in Ukrainian titanium deposits, which are strategic raw materials for the aerospace and aviation sectors, as well as for the military-industrial complex. Additionally, American companies may be interested in developing graphite deposits, which Ukraine possesses and which is actively used in the production of automobiles and electric batteries.
As for rare earth metals, various elements that are used in aerospace, medicine, optics, electric vehicle production, oil extraction, and the military-industrial complex may be of interest to American investors.
5 rare earth metals that may interest the U.S. and their applications
- Neodymium is alloyed with iron and boron to create powerful permanent magnets. These are increasingly used in portable electronic equipment, particularly in speakers and computer hard drives. Their high efficiency makes them valuable in hybrid cars and wind turbines.
- Lanthanum is used as an additive in the production of high-refractive glass, which is utilized in telescope and camera lenses. Lanthanum also plays a role in crude oil refining as a catalyst for oil cracking.
- Cerium is used in oil refining and in catalytic converters in vehicles to reduce harmful emissions. Cerium oxide is a polishing compound for glass.
- Yttrium is used in television and computer screens and other display devices. Along with terbium and europium, it is known as a phosphor that emits light in specific colors when exposed to electromagnetic radiation particles.
- Scandium is used for alloys, ceramics, and fuel cells. The metal is included in aluminum-scandium alloys, which are utilized in fighter jets and bicycle frames. It is added to mercury lamps to create a highly efficient light source resembling sunlight. The radioactive isotope scandium-46 is used as an indicator in oil processing to monitor the movement of various fractions.
As a reminder, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that Ukraine could replace Russian titanium in the European market, contributing to the development of civil industry and advanced military technologies in the EU.