Volodymyr Khaustov, Academic Secretary of the State Institution “Institute for Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,” Honoured Economist of Ukraine, Candidate of Technical Sciences
Ukraine’s future reconstruction will require not only enormous volumes of cement, metal, glass and insulation materials. It will also create demand for new materials capable of making buildings and infrastructure more durable, energy-efficient and less dependent on imports.
One such area could be the production of basalt fibre and composite materials based on it. According to the updated assessment by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank, the European Commission and the United Nations, the country’s recovery and reconstruction needs amount to almost $588 billion over the next decade. This means that the choice of materials will become not a secondary technical issue, but an important component of the state’s industrial, energy and investment policy.
Ukraine can either import a significant share of the required products or use reconstruction to create its own production chains — from raw material extraction to the manufacture of finished construction and industrial products.
Basalt raw materials are found in different regions of Ukraine. The best-known deposits are located in Rivne region, including the Berestovetske and Ivano-Dolynske deposits. Rocks suitable for fibre production have also been studied in Zakarpattia and other regions.
Ukraine has not only a raw material base, but also its own technological history. In the second half of the twentieth century, Ukrainian research institutions participated in the development of technologies for producing basalt fibres, studying the properties of rocks and creating industrial equipment.
In the 1980s, dozens of enterprises related to the production of basalt materials operated in Ukraine. However, after the collapse of the Soviet industrial system, most of these production facilities were lost or significantly reduced their operations.
As a result, the country, which had raw materials, scientific schools and industrial experience, failed to transform them into a modern, competitive industry.
Basalt fibre is produced by melting prepared rock and subsequently forming fibres. They are used to manufacture thermal and acoustic insulation materials, technical fabrics, reinforcing meshes, fibre for concrete, composite reinforcement, profiles, pipes and other structural products.
The advantages of such materials include resistance to corrosion, temperatures and many chemical environments, relatively low weight and the possibility of use under difficult operating conditions.
In construction, basalt fibre is used to reinforce concrete, screeds and industrial floors. Basalt meshes can be used in road construction, while composite reinforcement can be used in structures where resistance to corrosion and the absence of electrical conductivity are important.
In a study of advanced construction materials published in 2026, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre included basalt fibres among promising materials capable of increasing the durability of structures and reducing their environmental impact.
This does not mean that basalt composites should completely replace steel, concrete or fibreglass. Each material has its own area of application, technical limitations and design requirements. However, in many segments, basalt products can complement traditional materials and extend the service life of structures.
Large-scale reconstruction will generate long-term demand for insulation materials, reinforcement, pipes, road meshes, and materials for bridges, municipal and energy infrastructure.
If this demand is met mainly through imports, a significant share of reconstruction funding will support the industries of other countries. However, if at least some of the required materials are produced in Ukraine, the funds will remain in the national economy, creating jobs, tax revenues and export opportunities.
The basalt industry could form an almost complete domestic production chain: geological exploration, extraction and preparation of raw materials, fibre production, composite manufacturing and their application in construction, transport, energy and mechanical engineering.
It is particularly important that such production facilities can be located closer to deposits and future consumption centres. This will contribute to regional development and reduce logistics costs.
The first step should be an audit of Ukraine’s basalt industry. It is necessary to determine the condition of deposits, enterprises, technologies, equipment, patents and scientific developments. Without such an inventory, it is impossible to formulate a realistic industrial policy.
The second area is the creation of a modern system of standards. Basalt materials intended for use in critical construction must be tested for strength, durability, fire resistance, and resistance to moisture and chemicals. Ukrainian requirements must be harmonised with European standards.
The third step is the launch of demonstration projects. Basalt materials can be tested during the restoration of roads, bridges, municipal networks, industrial floors and damaged public buildings. The results of such projects should be publicly available and include comparisons of the total life-cycle costs of structures.
The state should not impose a specific material through administrative means. Its task is to create conditions under which the customer can select a solution not only on the basis of the lowest initial price, but also according to durability, operating costs, repairability and environmental impact.
The fourth area is support for pilot-scale industrial production. This does not mean permanently subsidising individual companies, but providing research grants, preferential financing for equipment, investment insurance and the involvement of European technology partners.
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, technical universities, manufacturers of construction materials, design organisations and potential consumers of the products should be involved in this work.
The availability of raw materials alone does not guarantee successful production. Stable energy supplies, modern furnaces, high-quality forming equipment, certification, trained engineers and a guaranteed market are also required.
For each product group, production costs, energy intensity, logistics and competitiveness compared with steel, fibreglass and other materials must be assessed separately.
The environmental advantages should not be exaggerated either. Fibre production requires high temperatures, while composites often contain polymer binders. Therefore, environmental performance must be confirmed by a full life-cycle analysis — from quarrying and production to dismantling and reuse.
However, this is precisely where Ukraine can gain an advantage. A new industry can be created immediately on a modern technological basis, with energy-efficient equipment, emissions control and the possibility of recycling production waste.
Ukraine has traditionally exported significant volumes of raw materials and semi-finished products, but has insufficiently developed the production of materials with high added value.
The basalt industry provides an opportunity to change this model. Instead of selling stone or crushed rock, the country can produce fibre, reinforcement, meshes, pipes, thermal insulation and complex composite products.
Reconstruction creates a unique window of opportunity for this. However, it will not remain open indefinitely. If imported technologies and materials take over the domestic market in the coming years, restoring Ukraine’s own capabilities will become significantly more difficult.
Ukraine needs not a separate campaign in support of basalt, but a state programme for the development of advanced materials. Basalt fibre could become one of its key areas alongside new types of concrete, metal alloys, ceramics, polymer and natural composites.
The question is not whether basalt will replace traditional materials. The question is whether Ukraine will be able to use its own raw materials, scientific expertise and future reconstruction demand to create a modern industry.
The prerequisites are in place. What is needed now is an inventory of capabilities, standards, pilot projects, investment and responsible public procurement.
Source: Experts Club
