State Ecology Service failed to sell sand quarry in Odesa region

The State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine failed to auction off a subsoil use permit for the Bilhorod-Dnistrovske field (northern section) due to a lack of bidders.

The relevant information was published in the Prozorro.Sale system.

Administratively, Bilhorod-Dnistrovske field (northern section) is located on the southeastern outskirts of the city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Odesa region. The type of mineral is sand. Type of subsoil use and the period for which the permit is granted: mining, 20 years. The auction was supposed to take place on May 5 but was not held. The starting price was UAH 1 million 459.9 thousand.

Meanwhile, in April, environmental prosecutors, together with police officers, exposed a criminal group that was systematically illegally mining limestone outside the designated area and without permits in the field in Odesa region. From December 2025 to March 2026, the group members, in violation of the law, illegally extracted minerals of national importance from a natural deposit in the Oknyansky district of the region using stone-cutting machines. The official discovery and development of the deposit dates back to 1970.

Mining was carried out on a land plot that was not registered in the State Land Cadastre. The estimated area of land where the illegal mining was carried out is about 20 hectares. The total volume of illegally extracted limestone is about 12 thousand units with a total weight of more than 204 thousand tons, which was stored near the entrance to the mine. The amount of damage caused to the environment is almost UAH 1.3 million.

In September 2024, the State Service of Geology and Subsoil prepared a list of mineral deposits that are of strategic importance for the development of the economy and defense capability of the state and whose use permits will be granted through auctions for the Cabinet of Ministers' approval.

Кирило Бойко