MOSCOW, Feb. 19 – The Ukrainian metals and mining sector has several competitive advantages compared to other regions, although some $10-15 billion has to be invested into raising its efficiency, according to Alexey Pertin, Smart-holding's director general.

Speaking at the fifteenth CIS Metals summit in Moscow on Thursday, he said that among the fundamental competitive advantages of the region on the global market during the next 50 years will be large iron ore deposits (nine billion tons or 12% of global deposits), favorable geographical location for supplies to Turkey, South and East Europe and North Africa, and a skilled workforce.