Overview
- President Trump vowed to “do something on Greenland” to deter Russian or Chinese influence, sharpening geopolitical focus on the island.
- U.S. Geological Survey mapping cites large rare-earth resources in Greenland, with roughly 23 of the 34 elements present, yet no mine is operating.
- Remoteness, minimal infrastructure, and eudialyte-hosted ores lacking a proven profitable extraction process have stalled development.
- Explorers such as Critical Metals announced pilot plans and saw share gains, but projects remain at the exploratory stage and would need hundreds of millions in funding.
- China dominates processing and has previously undercut rivals on price, while Greenland’s rules—including a 2021 halt on new offshore oil and gas exploration and strict uranium controls—compound the barriers.