Danylo Koval, Chief Geologist at Amber Galbyn: How to Create an Amber Industry

Develop a new template for the work program and ease the requirements for calculating amber reserves in disturbed areas.
This is how Danylo Koval, Head of the Geological Service of Amber Galbin Group, summarized his speech at the scientific and practical conference of geologists held on October 6 in Khoroshiv.

Danylo Koval noted that the creation of the Ukrainian amber industry does not require investment. First of all, it requires responsible work of legislative and executive bodies, as well as reduction of the bureaucratic burden on subsoil users and guarantees of obtaining land plots where subsoil is located.

In the report, the geologist also recalled the state's previous attempts to develop deposits and reform the industry. He named the reasons that prevent the development of the Ukrainian amber industry.

He commented on the recent changes in subsoil use caused by the Law adopted in December 2022. In his opinion, they significantly raise the entry threshold for auctions. This makes it almost impossible for communal prospecting artels of rural communities and small local businesses to participate. In addition, prospecting and exploration of amber deposits is a thing of the past, as subsoil is no longer available for geological exploration.

To improve the state of the industry, Dmitry Koval suggested the following steps:

  • Develop a new work program template for amber deposits.
  • Ease the requirements for calculating amber reserves in areas with disturbed land.
  • The use of taxes and royalties for subsoil use should be guided by the President's initiatives to create an economic passport, according to which royalties for subsoil use will be accumulated on personal accounts of children of Ukrainian citizens and paid upon reaching the age of majority.
  • Further development of deposits on the lands disturbed by miners should be carried out using a hydromechanical method combined with open pit mining.

The scientific and practical conference "Mineral Resources of Ukraine: Ways of Optimal Utilization" is an important event for the scientific community of Ukraine. Other representatives of the Amber Galbin Group of Companies also took part in it.