Ilyashev & Partners has advised Ukraine's Zavalivskiy Graphite Group on its sale of a 70% stake to Australia's Volt Resources Limited. Avellum advised the buyer on the transaction.
According to Ilyashev & Partners, Zavalivskiy Graphite is one of the ten largest global producers of natural graphite. It has a production capacity of 30 thousand tons per year, has been developing the Zavallya deposit since 1934, and produces more than 25 main grades of graphite, as well as colloidal graphite preparations and graphite-based cutting fluids.
Volt is a graphite and gold exploration and development company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. According to Avellum, Volt is focused on the exploration and development of its wholly-owned graphite and gold projects in Tanzania and Guinea and now Zavallya (Ukraine), and the identification of further assets globally.
"Following this transaction, Volt has the potential to become a key market participant in the supply of graphite and battery anode materials into the growing European market with excellent access to other markets in the US and the Middle East," Volt Managing Director Trevor Matthews commented.
"This acquisition by Volt signifies an increasing interest of foreign investors in Ukraine. It also underscores the strategic importance of Ukraine in the battery production chain of the growing electric vehicle industry," added Avellum Managing Partner Mykola Stetsenko.
The Ilyashev & Partners team included Managing Partner Mikhail Ilyashev, Partner Yevgen Solovyov, and Counsel Leonid Gilevich.
Avellum's team was led by Stetsenko and included Partner Maksym Maksymenko and Associates Daryna Mykhailenko and Andriy Kornuta.
