Greenland sits at the heart of a growing global scramble for rare earth elements (REEs) including iron ore, graphite, tungsten, palladium, vanadium, zinc, gold, uranium, copper, and oil. These are essential for defence systems, renewable energy, telecommunications and electric vehicles. The island ranks eighth in the world for rare earth reserves, with 1.5 million tons and is estimated to hold significant REE deposits, including at Kvanefjeld and Tanbreez. These minerals are critical for modern technology and national security, especially as China currently dominates global rare earth processing.
