Interesting presentation about the mineral resources of Greenland by Thomas Hale of the University of Delaware, where he is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences. Thomas is also an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Melting ice in Greenland is exposing the country’s critical mineral resources, including rare earth elements, gold, rubies, graphite, fluorescent minerals and more. Extractive companies, governments, and billionaires are all eyeing this largely under-exploited resource potential. This presentation covers three core sections.
First, the presentation provides a review of South Greenland's rich mineral resources and its most famous deposits, including the social, environmental, and political challenges around extraction. Greenland has gained a lot of attention from the international community for its mineral wealth, but there are many challenges facing the country when it comes to achieving a sustainable mining economy.
Second, the presentation provides a historical overview of the Ivittuut Cryolite Mine (formerly Ivigtut), still considered to be the most famous and only successful long-term mining operation in the country’s history.
Finally, there is a short update on key policy developments, mining projects, and collecting literature for those interested in the development prospects of Greenland’s extractive sector.
