Natural resources

Ukraine has a large variety of natural resources, including fuels, metals and non-metallic minerals. There are large coal deposits in the Donbas (Donets Basin) region in the south-east, and a smaller coalfield in the north-west. Lignite is found in various small fields in the Dnipro Basin. Ukraine has three oil and gas-bearing regions, of which the largest lies to the east of the Dnipro, stretching from the north to the Donbas coal region. There is a relatively long history of oil and gas extraction in the Carpathian region in the West, with more recent activity in the Black Sea and the Crimea. Other fuels found in Ukraine include peat, especially in the north, and combustible shale.

Extensive rich reserves of iron ore and manganese are found in the southern Dnipro region, and further iron deposits in eastern Crimea. Other metals extracted include titanium, vanadium, mercury and nickel, and there are small deposits of bauxite, chrome, cobalt, copper, gold, lead, tungsten, uranium and zinc.

Non-metallic minerals found in Ukraine include kaolin, fire clay and graphite; raw materials for the chemical industry such as common salt, potassium salts, phosphorites, gypsum, chalk and sulphur; construction materials including granite, basalt, sandstone, limestone, marble, various kinds of clays, sands and gravels; precious and semiprecious stones such as topaz, rock crystal, garnet, opal, tourmaline and chalcedony; and also amber. There are also extensive and varied sources of mineral waters in many parts of the country.