The Greenland mining industry remains small in scale despite growing international attention driven by rare earth minerals and Arctic geopolitics. While political debate over the Danish autonomous territory has intensified, only two mines are currently operational across the vast Arctic island.
Interest has increased in recent years, particularly after US President Donald Trump expressed a desire for greater American influence over Greenland, citing security and mineral concerns. However, harsh climate conditions, limited infrastructure and uncertainty over confirmed deposits continue to constrain large scale mining development.
Greenland, home to around 57,000 people, gained control over its mineral resources in 2009. The government hopes mining could one day reduce its economic reliance on Danish subsidies, which currently complement revenues from fishing.
Current State of the Greenland Mining Industry
Only two mines are producing commercially, according to official data reviewed by AFP and Greenland’s Mineral Resources Authority.
A gold mine in southern Greenland operated by Canada listed Amaroq.
An anorthosite mine on the west coast run by Lumina Sustainable Materials, backed by Canadian and Swiss investors.
Anorthosite is used in construction and industrial materials and contains titanium bearing components.
As of February 13, authorities listed 138 active mining licences held by 63 companies and individuals. However, only nine of these are exploitation licences that allow actual production. The remainder are mainly exploration permits.
A spokesperson for the Greenland Mineral Resources Authority told AFP that moving from exploration to production is “inherently long and complex,” often taking years. Projects can be halted due to insufficient resources, economic viability concerns, environmental assessments or social considerations.
Rare Earths and Critical Minerals
Rare earth minerals have drawn particular attention due to their importance in artificial intelligence technologies, renewable energy systems and defence industries.
US company Critical Metals Corp holds the only active exploitation permit for rare earths at a site in Kalaalit Nunaat, though production remains years away.
British firm GreenRoc Mining Plc received an exploitation licence in December 2025 for a graphite deposit expected to produce about 80,000 tonnes of concentrate annually. Commercial output is projected to begin in 2029, a company spokesperson told AFP.
According to an AFP analysis of licence data:
Gold appears in 49 permits
Copper in 36 permits
Nickel in 24 permits
Rare earth elements in 17 permits
The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland states that Greenland contains 24 of the 34 critical raw materials identified by the European Union as essential for the green and digital transitions. However, it cautions that only a limited number of occurrences have been fully quantified to qualify as confirmed deposits.
Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources Jorgen T Hammeken-Holm acknowledged uncertainty, telling AFP that estimates remain “more or less a guess” at this stage.
Infrastructure and Climate Challenges
About 80 percent of Greenland is covered by an ice sheet that can reach three kilometres in thickness. Mining operations are therefore concentrated along coastal regions, particularly in the southeast areas of Sermersooq and Kujalleq, where conditions are comparatively milder.
The island has no road network linking its towns, complicating logistics and raising costs. Experts say surveying or mining beneath the central ice sheet is not currently feasible, leaving vast areas unexplored.
Three oil exploration licences, held by British firm White Flame Energy, remain active until late 2028. The US Geological Survey has estimated that Greenland could hold more than 31 billion barrels of oil equivalent in oil and natural gas resources.
Training the Workforce for a Mining Future
In Sisimiut, the Greenland School of Minerals and Petroleum is preparing students for possible expansion of the sector. Established in 2008, the school offers three year vocational programmes combining heavy equipment training with geology, mathematics and English.
The Greenlandic government covers tuition fees and provides a monthly stipend of around 5,000 kroner, roughly 800 dollars.
Officials say Greenland historically relied on foreign labour due to limited domestic expertise. While local workers can perform drilling and blasting tasks, technical processing facilities require engineers, geologists and economists.
The government hopes that expanding mining and tourism could eventually reduce dependence on Denmark, though only a small number of graduates currently move directly into mining jobs.
US Denmark Talks and Strategic Concerns
The Greenland mining industry has also become part of wider geopolitical discussions.
At the Munich Security Conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen regarding US security concerns in the Arctic, according to Danish officials.
Frederiksen described the discussions as constructive and confirmed that work would continue through a high level working group.
President Trump has previously argued that the United States should gain greater control over Greenland for strategic and security reasons. A US Denmark Greenland working group has been established to address Washington’s concerns, though details have not been made public.
NATO has also launched initiatives to strengthen Arctic security, with Denmark pledging F-35 fighter jets as part of those efforts, according to the Danish defence ministry.
Outlook
Despite heightened international attention, the Greenland mining industry remains in an early development phase. Confirmed deposits are limited, infrastructure is underdeveloped and environmental conditions are severe.
Future growth will depend on sustained investment, verified resource assessments and political stability in relations between Greenland, Denmark and major international partners.
