Ukraine's Rare Metals Offer Rare OpportunitiesUkraine's Rare Metals Offer Rare Opportunities
“Wait until after the war, and the best opportunities will be gone.”
February 3, 2025
Ukraine’s war for survival is also one filled with opportunities for those bold enough to seize them. According to Konstantyn Chyzhyk, a Ukrainian energy policy strategist, “Ukraine’s energy and critical minerals are an untapped resource. By investing in them, forward-thinking investors can reap massive returns and contribute to a global supply chain shift away from dependency on adversarial states.”
In his view, the time to act is now. As he says, “Wait until after the war, and the best opportunities will be gone.”
Ukraine’s Critical Mineral Advantage
Chyzhyk points out that before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine provided Russia with more than 70% of the critical minerals that Russia needed for industrial and technological development. Ukraine still holds proven deposits of 127 out of 130 known essential minerals, including titanium, beryllium, lithium, and uranium.
These resources are indispensable for global industries, from electric vehicles and semiconductors to aerospace and defense. Gaining control of Ukraine’s critical minerals may have been among Putin’s motives for invading Ukraine.
Regarding developing these critical minerals, Chyzhyk believes Ukraine has an overwhelming advantage over the West. Particularly in Europe, stringent ESG (environmental, social and governance) regulations have made launching new mining projects somewhere between extremely difficult and impossible. He’s seen that the approval process takes years—sometimes decades. “In Ukraine,” he says, “such ventures can be fast-tracked in a way no other nation can currently offer.”
As a realist, Chyzhyk knows that Ukraine has an overwhelming motive to be receptive to mining initiatives that will rebuild its economy and create jobs. “Unlike Western nations,” he observes, “Ukraine sees mining as a vital lifeline to economic recovery.”
Historically, investing in Ukraine has been complicated. The country has suffered from corruption, inefficiency, and complex regulatory landscapes that deterred Western investors. But this is changing rapidly. Chyzhyk and his colleagues at Ukraine’s Hillmont Partners and Argentem Creek Partners—seasoned investors with a decade-long track record in Ukraine—are launching a new investment platform specifically tailored for post-war reconstruction. Having already deployed $650 million in private U.S. capital into agriculture, infrastructure, metals, and mining, they have shown that substantial profits are possible despite challenges.
Even during the war, $150 million worth of projects remain active. Chyzhyk says that the key to success lies in finding a reliable local partner—one with deep market knowledge and the ability to structure deals effectively. In his view, with Ukraine’s inevitable post-war boom, early investors who secure these partnerships will reap the rewards later.
Chyzhyk knows that investment opportunities also include energy investments. As he sees it, Ukraine has unique knowledge of and experience with energy resilience. “Ukraine has endured relentless, targeted attacks on its infrastructure. Despite the destruction, Ukraine’s energy grid remains functional—the lights are still on, and factories are still running. The country’s ability to rapidly adapt and innovate in a crisis makes it a testing ground for new energy solutions.”
One of the areas that excites him most is developing small modular reactors (SMRs), a breakthrough in nuclear technology. While traditional nuclear projects in the West typically take many years to develop, Ukraine’s streamlined approach means SMRs could be deployed in as little as three or four years. This speed advantage presents a golden opportunity for Western investors.
Ukraine offers investment opportunities beyond metals and energy. The country is rapidly becoming a leader in military technology, cybersecurity, AI-driven finance and urban redevelopment.
For Chyzhyk, mental health innovation may be the most unexpected and profound opportunities. The psychological trauma experienced by Ukrainians has led to groundbreaking approaches in therapy and resilience training. While Western mental health treatment often focuses on managing symptoms, Ukrainian methodologies go deeper—addressing core belief systems that drive human behavior.
These insights have global applications, especially as mental health crises surge in Western nations. Just as war tests military tactics, it also stress-tests methods for healing psychological wounds. Ukraine offers a unique “battle-tested” approach to trauma recovery, with potential applications far beyond its borders.
For investors looking at critical minerals, energy resilience, technology and mental health innovation, Ukraine is not just an opportunity—it may be the opportunity.
