The company "MR Invest", owned by businessman Rinat Akhmetov, won the auction of the State Geological Survey of Ukraine and received a special permit for clay mining at the Irlyavskaya site in the Uzhgorod district.
This was reported by "Prozorro.Sales".
For how much did Akhmetov purchase the right to mine clay in Transcarpathia
The company offered UAH 10 million, which is more than twice the starting price — UAH 4.7 million.
The special permit for the use of subsoil will be valid for 10 years and provides for the industrial extraction of ceramic clay, which is used in the production of building materials.
What is known about the clay deposit in Transcarpathia
The Irlyavskaya site is located 800 meters from the village of Chabanivka, Zakarpattia region. Its area is 147.35 hectares, and clay reserves are estimated at over 1.1 million cubic meters.
Who owns MR Invest
The ultimate beneficiary of MR Invest is Rinat Akhmetov, who owns 75.5% of the shares through the company Yumgi Invest (umgi), writes NV. This structure is part of the umgi investment group, which manages SCM's assets in the raw materials and processing sectors.
How Akhmetov develops a business in minerals
umgi is an investment company established in 2006 by the SCM group to develop businesses in the extraction of minerals, industrial waste management and the production of industrial products.
The company's portfolio includes eight assets in seven countries: Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Romania and Serbia.
The umgi structure includes:
- the VESCO holding, which is engaged in the extraction and supply of ceramic raw materials;
- the Kryvbasvybukhprom enterprise;
- the Ukrainian mineral fertilizers manufacturer;
- Arnocs, a supplier of technical and rare gases.
According to the company, in 2024, umgi's portfolio assets increased revenue by 50% to $262 million, and the total value of investments exceeded $500 million.
Akhmetov's interest in Transcarpathia fits into his strategy to expand the raw materials business beyond Donbas. In 2024, the group also studied cooperation opportunities in Spain, considering this market as a promising direction for partner investments.
We previously wrote that Rinat Akhmetov had submitted an official application to participate in the tender for the acquisition of the bankrupt Romanian steel plant Liberty Galați.
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