For months, the world has thought about the goal of the President of the United States of America GreenlandIs he expressing his desire to make America more and more again in terms of regional sector? Is this a question of security policy? Or are important minerals-and especially the huge rare-earth wealth of Greenland-a major factor?
The answer to the first two questions cannot be actually done without full understanding of administration objectives and strategies, currently publicly available. But for that third question, there is a treasure of both historical and modern days, data and reference.
Let’s start with a modern day. American industries, like any developed economy, depend on important materials. Now focuses very focused Rare earthA group of elements of abnormal importance due to their inevitability in essential commercial, defense and industrial applications. About 90 percent of processed rare come from the earth ChinaCreating supply-series weaknesses that many countries are now trying to escape, especially since then China announced sanctions In April 2025, on heavy rare earth exports. systematic study Has indicated that There are 10 important deposits in Greenland Of rare earth elements.
But in mining, it is details that matters. It is important to understand the value of minerals Consider history And to investigate the reality of documented resources. Facts and clear conclusions do not always reach decision makers, investors and media.
Greenland is the largest island in the world, but it is not as big as you think
Greenland is the largest island in the world, but people often get an exaggerated perception that how large it is due to the fact that the commonly used mercator launches deforms the size of landmame close to the poles. Greenland is about two million square kilometers. However, the snow-free part-can be done much more mining than other parts-is sized CaliforniaAnd without any beautiful coastal highways. Travel between settlements is possible only by boat or airplane.
Greenland has nine separate mines since World War II, but only one, for minerals UnaccountedToday is active. Another, for SleepThe end of this year is expected to reach complete production.
By May 2025, the only entirely operated entirely operating on the island of Greenland takes out the Enerthocyte Rock on a site called White Mountain on the west coast of the island.Fleming Getreur Christiansen
Greenland took over after all mining licenses from Denmark in 1998 and self-governance started in 2010 after full authority. Greenland has developed a modern licensing system for mining with an element of competition between companies and transparent processes for public inputs on environment and socio -economic concerns. The number of licenses given by the government has been high and relatively stable for many years, but the level of actual activities like drilling has been low in the last decade. Many licenses without any mining have been abandoned or canceled.
The reasons are many. There is a lack of a major human resources. The population of Greenland is only 57,000, which is scattered around a region three times the size of Texas. Another reason is high operational costs due to harsh climate and lack of infrastructure. Others include restrictions in favor of labor from Greenland or Denmark. Still others include resource assessment, feasibility studies and recent bureaucratic changes in the legal framework of mining related to requirements for environmental and socio-economic needs to obtain an exploitation license. Complex royalty plans and relatively high corporates contribute to uncertainty and risks that many investors are not ready to take. This is at a time when Greenland needs investment to promote his dreams of economic and political freedom from Denmark.
In summer of 2021, Greenland government did not ask to release further Petroleum licenseIt did not matter much because by then, all the largest oil and gas companies had already left Greenland as a result of rising costs due to the decline in oil prices and changed rules. Since the 1970s, some 40 companies have joined, but they drilled only 15 investigation wells and did not make any commercial discovery.
Evitutut Mine, seen here in 1953, took out a large quantity of cryolite during World War II. Ivittuut was one of some places in the world known for the deposits of the cryolite, which was necessary for the melting of aluminum. The mine closed in 1987.Kaj scal sorenson/Danish Arctic Institute
Nevertheless, there have been some business activities. During World War II, Ivittuut mine Cryolite was produced for aluminum production in South Greenland and was important for American war attempt. Since that time, American companies have shown only a minor interest in Greenland; Over the last several decades, 10 of the total 250 companies that have been given investigation licenses have been American. Of the 50 companies in various countries drilling in Greenland, four were from the US, and out of 15 companies who have applied for the exploitation license were well zero American. Therefore, the American fingerprint on mineral exploration in Greenland is therefore negligible, even if the door is open for decades.
The deposits are large but have low concentrations of rare-earth elements
European Union according to the UnionGreenland has a very unused capacity for 25 of the 34 minerals identified in the official list of raw materials, with the official list of raw materials including rare earth elements, graphite, platinum group metals and nyobium. However, viewing in detail, a more complex picture emerges. In 2023, TestFor Center for minerals and materials of Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland It was found that Greenland’s mineral resources included everything from minor incidents to adequate deposits scattered around the island.
Greenland’s 10 important Rare earth depositsOnly two, Kvanefjeld (Kuanersuit) and Kringlerne (Killwat Alnagat) have attracted a lot of attention.
Despite being located just a few miles in the same premises in South Greenland, these two rare-earth deposits are very different on all parameters: geology and mineral science, phase of investigation, and documented resources. They are the same, however, it has some serious shortcomings in both deposits, when there are some serious shortcomings compared to active mines or advanced projects elsewhere in the west.
Near the southern end of Greenland, Kavenfjeld plateau is a site of large deposits of rare-earth oxide, uranium, thorium and other elements of industrial importance.John Richard Henic/Life/Redx
Kvanefjeld is the only project with well -recorded stores in Greenland; But it suffers from or, some people will say, potentially can benefit from a high content of uranium and thorium.
In 2021, when the project was in the final stage of obtaining an exploitation license, the Greenlandic government dug into its heels and made it illegal to deposit with uranium of 100 parts. The new rules were used behind the Confjelled Project against the Australian company, which produces the useless years of heavy investment – the US was allegedly spent on drilling and other work.
The company filed a request for mediation in 2022, and in 2024 it initiated legal proceedings against Greenland and Danish governments. This can be several years before solving these cases. Meanwhile, in this case, investment in Greenland is likely to damage, as it is due to the climate of high political risk.
The rare earth in the Cringle Deposit consists of a igneous rock, called the corourse.John Richard Henic/Life/Redx
Cringllorn has very little concentrations of uranium. Private owned company, which has invested in the site, claims that it is the largest deposit of its kind in the world, but this belief is based on very low drilling. In 2020, the company received an exploration license despite the company’s documents, updated studies of viability, or not providing environmental and socio-economic effects. The time limit for providing financial security and plans for mining and closure was extended for many years. Tanbers were partially taken by one New York based company Registered on NASDAQ, and new owners were obliged to follow international standards and disclose a confidential resource estimate from 2016. The report revealed a fairly disappointing number in relation to ore grade and other characteristics.
Nor does Greenland’s deposit rent well compared to other mines or deposits. Specific ore grade in successful mines or attractive deposits is between 4 to 8 percent of the rare earth. Ore on mines Mount weld In Australia and Mountain pass in CaliforniaAnd on deposits Nolan bore In Australia and Bear In Vyoming, all fall within that range. The number in kvanefjeld is 1.4 percent, and in kringlerne, it is as low as 0.38 percent. Greenlandic mines resulted in large open pits and crushing, separation and refinement requiring too much energy, which will essentially increase the cost to establish mines and actually to operate them.
Nevertheless, recently in Greenland, American interest led some stunning reactions on the stock market, combined with high volatility. Kvanefjeld’s share cost three times after intense trade in early 2025. The stock price of Cringling is significantly reduced as the new owners were listed on the NASDAQ, but after all types of stock announcements with many up and downs that refer to the diverse analysis of the old core.
Greenland’s flirting with China can backfire
After the Trump administration touched a tariff war, a geopolitical clash between the US and China on the rare earth became a more complex conflict associated with the US, the European Union and China.
And the Greenland government has continued the flames affecting Chinese investment. In March, for example, Greenland Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfelt, Allegedly identified close cooperation As a priority with China, and even avoided the possibility of a free trade agreement between Greenland and China. According to a report in DiplomaticMotzfeldt’s actions “were largely inspired by faith … A mining boomFuel, by Chinese investment, was the most realistic path from Denmark to freedom – the target shared by most Greenlandic parties. “May be, but such steps are widely considered as a provocation against Denmark and America, whatever their inspiration is, they can increase American pressure very well.
Since Greenland controlled its mineral resources, Denmark has been reluctant to join the mining projects. It can change very well. Denmark and European Union can come under pressure to invest in very important infrastructure and energy projects and provide loans on more favorable conditions, if there is no other reason but to keep the United States in the Gulf.
Although the situation is highly unstable, at least, to separate the geo -political posture from the realities of mining, it is important to try. In that vein, it is safe to say that Donald J. There will be no rare Prithvi Khan in Greenland during Trump’s tenure.
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