PROSPECTS FOR UKRAINIAN FERROUS-METALS IN THE POST-SOVIET PERIOD

Two specialists on the mineral industries of the countries of the form er USSR survey current problems confronting producers of ferrous metal s in Ukraine and future prospects for domestic production and exports. A series of observations documenting the importance of ferrous metals production to Ukraine's economy is followed by sections describing in vestment plans and needs in the sector, and the role played by Ukraine within the iron and steel industry of the Soviet Union. The focus the n turns to assessment of the current regional and global competitive p osition of Ukrainian producers for each of the major commodities of th e sector-iron ore, manganese ore, ferroalloys, steel, and the products of the machine manufacturing and metal working industries. In conclus ion, the paper discusses a potential regional industrial integration s trategy analogous to that employed in the United States' Great Lakes/M idwest region, which possesses similar types of iron ore deposits and similar transport cost advantages and metallurgical and manufacturing industries.