Still, there is a possibility of spills wherever there is mining activity. There is also the possibility of a lot of noise. Fill the ocean with din, which can stress fish and marine mammals like narwal, seals and whales, or highlight grumpy marine mammals. You can speak up and disrupt their communication.
There are many economic and political dangers here. Fishing is Greenland’s major industry; 95% of island exports. Rare earth mining is an island play to diversify its economy and could help to separate subsidies from the Danish government. It can help with it Earn independence.
So far, the mining business has been a bit rocky in Greenland. Government in 2021 Prohibited uranium miningAustralian costumes will halt development of the project with Greenland minerals. (Greenland Minerals did not respond to multiple requests to comment on this story.) Chinese affiliates I’m suing now For $11 billion, the Greenland government had potentially sucked up other prospectors and investors, and was already worried about the profitability of mining rare earths in the far north.
“When we talk to them, they understand the situation and they’re not afraid,” Hameken Holm said. He added that Greenland is maintaining dialogue with mining suits on exploration challenges and outlook. “It’s difficult to get private finance for these projects, but we’re not alone,” he said. “That’s a global situation.”
Increased demand And geopolitical enthusiasm around rare earths may make Greenland attractive to mining companies regardless of logistical challenges. Hammeken-Holm says that, like particularly rich sediments of certain rare earth elements, the major discoveries could be the extra boost needed to transform the country into an essential provider of important minerals.
Exner-Pirot from the MacDonald Lawyer Institute and Lajeunesse, a public policy expert, say Western countries may reach a point where they actively intervene in the market. Like the rare earth industry sponsored by Chinese states, the US, Canada, Australia, or the European Union. A strategic partnership has been concluded In 2023, we teamed up to ensure a stable flow of minerals that will enable modern military, consumerism and energy transitions to develop critical raw materials together with Greenland. For example, subsidies can help make the industry more profitable. “We need to accept that we are purchasing and developing more minerals than we are marketed,” Lajeunesse said. “But in the long run, it’s about developing supply security.”
Already a land of rapid climate change, Greenland quickly became richer and more powerful at the global stage. Tonviton, its disappearing ice reveals more mineral solutions to the disasters of the world.
Tom Vaillant contributed to the research and reporting. This story is part of the Grist series Excavation: Mining Problemsexamines the global race for extracting important minerals for clean energy transitions.
