Abstract The state of the mineral resource base of Ukraine for a number of elements that are essential for the development of ‘green power energy’ in Europe is analysed. Four groups can be distinguished that differ in degree of geological certainty, available reserves and stages of potential and/or commercial development. (1) Iron, manganese and graphite – large-scale deposits that have been developed for a long time in Ukraine and have almost unlimited resources/perspectives for further production. (2) Lithium and rare-earth elements (REEs) – deposits that have mostly been explored and possess considerable reserves; these deposits are not under exploitation but can be brought into commercial production pending appropriate geological and economic evaluation. (3) Cobalt and nickel – deposits that have been discovered but their reserves are rather small and some technological problems of ore beneficiation exist; these deposits can be developed only in the case of additional confirmation of their economic feasibility by objective economic and geological evaluation. (4) Aluminium and lead – small deposits and manifestations that are known but their reserves and ore grades are rather low, and, as a result, their exploitation is doubtful and perspectives for commercial output are not clear.

Abstract The Ukrainian Shield is a large coherent region of exposed Archaean and Proterozoic crust in the southwestern, Sarmatian part of the East European Craton. It is traditionally divided into blocks, or domains, separated by major suture zones. The Azov Domain in the east and the Podolian Domain in the SW are Archaean complexes that have been highly reworked in the Palaeoproterozoic; in contrast, the Archaean (3.2–3.0 Ga) granite-greenstone terrane dominated Middle Dniepr Domain, in the central part of the Shield, is virtually untouched by Proterozoic processes. Palaeoproterozoic rocks dominate the Kirovograd domain in the central Shield. We review previous and recent geochronological results and demonstrate that the Volyn Domain and adjacent parts of the Ros-Tikich Domain in the NW are largely juvenile, c . 2.2-2.0 Ga segments of Palaeoproterozoic crust accreted to the Palaeo- to Mesoarchaean crust in the Podolian Domain. The Podolian Domain includes 3.65 Ga granitoids, with traces of 3.75 Ga material. It has been reworked, at 2.8 Ga and c . 2.0 Ga. Its temporal evolution is thus similar to that of the Azov Domain in the eastern part of the Shield. However, in view of the complex terrane pattern of Sarmatia, this does not necessarily mean that the Podolian and Azov domains were parts of the same continent in the Archaean.

Abstract Large igneous provinces (LIPs) represent significant reservoirs of energy and metals that can either drive or contribute to a variety of metallogenic systems. The relationships between LIPs and these various systems can be divided into four distinct although partially overlapping classifications: (1) LIPs form the primary source of commodities within mineral deposits (e.g., orthomagmatic Ni-Cu-PGE sulfides, or Nb-Ta-REE and diamonds for often LIP-related carbonatites and kimberlites, respectively); (2) LIPs either provide the energy to drive hydrothermal systems or can act as source rocks for hydrothermal ore deposits (e.g., volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits)—in some cases LIP rocks can also act as barriers to fluid flow and/or reaction zones causing mineralization (e.g., orogenic Au); (3) weathering can concentrate elements such as Al and Ni-Co within laterites that develop from exposed LIP mafic-ultramafic rocks in tropical climates, and for Nb, Ta, and REE in laterites from associated carbonatites; and (4) indirect links exist between LIPs and ore deposits; here we consider two of these types of links, the first of which involves LIP events that are linked to attempted or successful continental breakup where the LIP barcode record can be used as a correlation tool for reconstructing Precambrian supercontinents and therefore enable the tracing of metallogenic belts between presently separated, but formerly contiguous crustal blocks. A second, more speculative, indirect link is provided by the fact that major continental breakup (linked to LIPs) is associated with distal compression and transpression in the plate tectonic circuit (and the formation of orogenic deposits, such as Au). We discuss the role of LIPs (be it major or contributory) in each of these classifications for the generation of this wide variety of differing mineral deposit types and potential implications of this link between LIPs and metallogenesis for exploration strategies. This review shows how our understanding of LIPs, and the processes that affect LIP magmas and rocks, have direct consequences for mineral exploration and economic geology.