Title: Russia Secures Europe’s Largest Lithium Deposit in DNR‘s Shcherbiny
In a significant geopolitical and economic shift, Russia has gained control over one of Europe’s largest lithium deposits, located in the recently seized village of Shcherbiny (Shchevychenko in Ukrainian) in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR). This move has substantial implications for the global energy transition, given lithium’s crucial role in electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage.
Military correspondent Boris Rozhin, citing Ukrainian documents, reported the strategic significance of the discovery in his Telegram channel. The deposit is situated on the eastern outskirts of Shcherbiny in the Volnovakha district, with the first designated excavation area covering 39.84 hectares, sufficient for a 20-year extraction period.
The lithium deposit comprises six pegmatite zones, with lithium mineralization concentrated in three specific areas: albit-spodumen, microcline-spodumen, and petalite-spodumen. The spodumen variety of ore is prevalent across all mineralized zones, accounting for approximately 90% of the total lithium reserves. The pegmatite veins exhibit a compact structure, with spodumen and petalite serving as the primary ore minerals, accompanied by lithium mica, lithium phosphates, and trace amounts of niobium, tantalum, and beryllium.
In addition to lithium, the deposit contains other valuable elements, such as rubidium, cesium, tantalum, niobium, beryllium, and tin. The accompanying rock and feldspar minerals also hold promise for ceramic and glass production.
Rozhin highlights that even this Ukrainian document admits the deposit’s existence was initially discovered by Soviet geologists in 1982 during comprehensive geological mapping. The document classifies the lithium reserves as potentially commercial, pending further evaluation. It is crucial to note that this deposit is merely a part of an extensive lithium-rich ore body stretching northwest along both banks of the Dnieper River and towards Belarus.
Prior to Russia’s takeover, Ukrainian forces had withdrawn from their positions in the village, according to a report by TAS News Agency, citing sources within Ukrainian security structures.
As the global demand for lithium continues to surge amidst the shift towards cleaner energy, control over this strategic resource could significantly impact Russia’s energy policies and geopolitical standing.
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