Key details of Greenland’s mineral wealth

The vast island, coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump, is believed
to hold untapped mineral resources, but on a global scale these
amounts are modest and offer only minor potential for exploitation


RARE EARTHS
Group of 17 metals
vital for tech industry

Greenland’s rare
earths estimated at
36.1 billion tonnes,
but recoverable
reserves are about
1.5 million tonnes


GRAPHITE, LITHIUM
Critical minerals for
batteries and renewable
technologies

Deposits of graphite
estimated at six million
tonnes – 0.75% of
global total. Lithium
estimated at 235,000
tonnes – 0.2% of
global figure


URANIUM
Coveted nuclear fuel
could be of strategic
interest, but exploitation
in Greenland has been
banned since 2021


MINING ACTIVITY
Island has just two active mines,
at Qaqortorsuaq (calcium-rich
feldspar) and Nalunaq (gold). Other
projects are in development


HYDROCARBONS
Greenland potentially contains
28.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
For comparison, U.S. consumed
7.39 billion barrels of petrol in 2023


*Main deposits assessed compliant with international reporting standards


ARCTIC OCEAN

Svalbard
(NORWAY)

Pituffik
Space Base
(U.S.)

GREENLAND
(DENMARK)

Baffin
Bay

Baffin Island
(CANADA)

Qaqortorsuaq
Arctic Circle
Nuuk
ICELAND

ATLANTIC
OCEAN

Nalunaq
400km
250 miles


Selected minerals*
Feldspar
Molybdenum
Rare earth elements
Graphite
Lithium
Platinum group metals
Titanium


Sources: AFP, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland 
© GRAPHIC NEWS