(Reuters) – US President-elect Donald Trump last week reiterated his interest in taking control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark that could be useful to the US because of its strategic location and rich mineral resources.
A 2023 survey found that 25 of the 34 minerals considered by the European Commission to be “critical raw materials” were found in Greenland.
Oil extraction is banned in Greenland for environmental reasons, and the development of its mining sector is hampered by bureaucracy and opposition from the indigenous population.
Below are details of the main mineral deposits in Greenland, based on data from the Greenland Mineral Resources Authority:
RARE EARTHS
The three largest deposits in Greenland are located in the southern province of Gardar.
Companies looking to develop rare earth mines include Critical Metals Corp, which bought the Tanbreez deposit, Energy Transition Minerals, whose Kuannersuit project is stalled by legal disputes, and Neo Performance Materials.
Rare earth elements are key to permanent magnets used in electric vehicles (EVs) and wind turbines.
GRAPHITE
Occurrences of graphite and graphite slate have been reported from many localities on the island.
GreenRoc requested an exploitation license for the development of the Amitsoq graphite project.
Natural graphite is mainly used in batteries for electric vehicles and steel production.
COPPER
According to the Mineral Resources Administration, most deposits have seen only limited exploration campaigns.
Particularly interesting are the underexplored areas in the northeast and central east of the island, it is stated.
London Stock Exchange 80 Mile is seeking to develop the Disko-Nuussuaq deposit, which contains copper, nickel, platinum and cobalt.
NICKEL
According to the Mineral Resources Administration, traces of nickel deposits are numerous.
Major miner Anglo American ( JO: ) was awarded five-year exploration licenses in West Greenland in mid-2019 and was looking for nickel deposits, among other things.
ZINC
it is mostly located in the north in a geological formation that stretches for more than 2,500 km.
The companies sought to develop the zinc-lead project in Fjord Citronen, which was considered one of the world’s largest undeveloped zinc resources.
GOLD
The most promising areas for gold potential are around the Sermiligaarsuk fjord in the south of the country.
Amaroq Minerals launched a gold mine last year at Nalunaq Mountain in Kujalleq Municipality.
DIAMONDS
While most of the small diamonds and largest stones are found in the west of the island, their presence in other regions can also be significant.
IRON ORE
Deposits are located in Isua in south-west Greenland, in Itilliarsuk in central-west Greenland and in north-west Greenland along the Lauga Koch Kyst.
TITANIUM-VANADIUM
Known deposits of titanium and vanadium are located in the southwest, east and south.
Titanium is used for commercial, medical and industrial purposes, while vanadium is mainly used for the production of special steel alloys. The most important industrial compound of vanadium, vanadium pentoxide, is used as a catalyst for the production of sulfuric acid.
TUNGSTEN
Used for several industrial applications, tungsten is found mainly in the central east and northeast of the country, with estimated deposits in the south and west.
URANUS
In 2021, the left-wing Inuit party Ataqatigiit banned uranium mining, halting the development of the Kuannersuit rare earth project, which has uranium as a byproduct.
($1 = 7.2705 Danish kroner)
