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World News See other World News Articles Title: Inside the Race for Greenland's Billions in Rare Earth Minerals Inside the Race for Greenland's Billions in Rare Earth Minerals By PETER GRATTON Published January 28, 2025 Fact checked by STELLA OSOBA Disko Bay in Greenland showing some houses above the frozen waters Deep beneath Greenland's melting ice sheet lies a treasure trove of rare earth elements crucial to everything from electric vehicles to wind turbines. President Donald Trump's claim that the U.S. should acquire the territory has sparked wide attention, and Greenland's mineral wealth is a significant reason. While China dominates the global supply of these metals, controlling at least 70% of production, Greenland's deposits are attracting intense interest from the U.S. and European Union, which are racing to secure alternative sources of these critical materials. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Geopolitics of Greenland However, this hasn't stopped other global powers from eyeing its strategic value. Trump has revived interest in acquiring the territory, with his Republican allies in Congress working to authorize negotiations with Denmark. But Greenland's value extends far beyond its mineral wealth. The island's location along the shortest route between Europe and North America makes it crucial for U.S. military interests, particularly for ballistic missile warning systems. The U.S. already maintains a permanent presence at Pituffik air base in northwest Greenland under a 1951 agreement with Denmark and has previously looked to expand its military footprint to monitor Russian naval activities in the waters between Greenland, Iceland, and Britain. While Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede has emphasized that "Greenland is not for sale," a 2023 survey revealed that Greenland possesses 25 of the 34 minerals the European Commission deems "critical raw materials." This has led to competing interests from multiple powers: China seeking inroads, the U.S. pursuing strategic advantages, and the EU looking to secure its supply chain. Critical Minerals Powering Tomorrow's Technology The market for these minerals reached $320 billion in 2022 (the latest period for which solid data is available), with demand for some elements tripling since 2017. These minerals serve diverse applications across industries: > Neodymium and dysprosium are crucial for creating powerful permanent magnets used in electric vehicle motors and wind turbine generators. > Terbium improves the temperature resistance of these magnets, making them more durable. However, developing Greenland's resources presents significant challenges. The concentration of rare minerals in the region's ore is relatively low—between 1% and 6%—making extraction more costly and technically challenging. The harsh Arctic climate adds another layer of complexity, with ice floes blocking transportation during winter months and requiring complicated ways to store what's mined. China has positioned itself as the dominant force in rare earth elements, controlling nearly 70% of production and about 90% of processing capacity. Recent policy changes suggest that China could further tighten its grip on the market by restricting exports, consolidating domestic producers, and stockpiling reserves. The Bottom Line Poster Comment: Graph at source. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 4.
#1. To: BTP Holdings (#0)
Even so, Trump is willing to kill those who oppose his acquisition of Greenland. Canada is next. But don't worry...Trump is a nationalist...not a globalist...Rocky said so.
Globalists simply hate nationalists, and this has been true since the end of WW II. ;)
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