The US President Donald Trump has recently shown interest in Greenland. However, possible mining of rare minerals, including lithium, encounters a problem.
A few days ago, the White House chief said that the United States is a matter of security and did not rule out that if Copenhagen refused to sell Greenland, he would take economic or military steps.
Denmark and Greenland metropolis – Copenhagen and Nuuk – refused, and Trump’s controversial statement caused concern in the Western world.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen then described Trump’s speculation as absurd and told him that Greenland is not for sale.
In this context, Trump questioned the legal claims of Copenhagen to the island and noted that the local residents would probably vote in a referendum for independence or just for joining the US.
Greenland is an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark with self -government in internal affairs from 1 May 1979. Denmark, EU and NATO member, continues to control Greenland security and foreign policy.
Climate change on the island
The Greenfish glacier melts faster than in the past. It says that thousands of satellite images from 2016 to 2021 prove it. The reason is climate change.
“From the point of view of the variety of mineral wealth, the island is really rich. It has always been mined or conducted for the extraction of gold, silver, copper, lead, graphite or olivine. Historically, the cryolithic was also mined here, which was used for aluminum production during World War II. Since 1982, coal has also been mined here, since the 1970s of the last century, oil and natural gas survey has been carried out on the banks, ”says Geologist Martin Klempa from the Department of Geological Engineering at the University of Banská and Technical University Ostrava.
Tempting strategic minerals
Strategic minerals are currently interested in interest. These are raw materials that are mainly found in China or Africa and are key to the modern economy, a geologist pointed out.
According to him, the European Commission has identified a total of 34 critical minerals such as antimony, beryllium, lithium, of which 25 are located in Greenland.
Rare minerals are used in electromobility or nuclear energy, while there is no need to have a huge amount, but it is necessary to extract ore, from which the raw material is then removed and further processed.
“The island has varying in various extent, so it is a very interesting location, but how much mining awaits us in the future, now no one is able to estimate. There is no more detailed information from surveys at the localities, ”the scientist explained.
Several problems
However, the melting of the iceberg does not automatically mean better availability of raw materials. There are several limits.
“The first is legislative because the locals are very sensitive to the mining country. Between the 50s and 90s of the last century, the effects of zinc and lead were identified from galenite and spolerite mining, which was then reflected in the legislation, ”said the geologist.
The second limitation is the lack of infrastructure. “It is difficult to get inland and conduct a survey there, because there is a need for technology, and we have to get there in some way,” explains the expert.
The third significant limitation is the human factor. A sufficient number of skilled workers will be needed. “There are less than 60,000 inhabitants on the island, and if someone is serious about it, then it will be necessary to bring the qualified power, accommodate, allow her to conduct the survey,” he said.
The survey and subsequent mining will thus mean a time -consuming and costly action, summarized Klempa.
“The locals would have to adjust the legislation. It would certainly bring a large number of investments, it would mean (new) roads, coastal modification, ports. The extraction is then related to the dump, where the modified unnecessary raw material would have to be stored. So it would be quite a lot of intervention, ”added the expert.
