AEX Gold aims to invest in Greenland through its new gold mining project and has a five-year plan to start production at Nalunaq, using generated cash to fund broader exploration in the district.

Olafsson of AEX Gold states the company's long-term mission is to build local expertise supporting profitable production across multiple projects in Greenland.

Several deposits have been identified in Greenland, but successful development remains a challenge.

Rare earth minerals are a group of 17 chemical elements including scandium, yttrium, and the lanthanides, as noted by the US Geological Survey.

Mining rare earths impacts the environment due to the presence of radioactive materials such as thorium and uranium in the ores.

Sweden's LKAB, a state-owned mining company, recently announced a significant rare earth deposit exceeding 1 million tons in Lapland, which is expected to help address Europe's supply challenges.

China currently supplies most of the world’s rare earths and has used this dominance as a geopolitical tool.

LKAB’s president said the Swedish discovery could be “significant” for Europe, but production from the deposit is at least a decade away.

Mining and refining rare earth minerals is complex and produces toxic and radioactive waste, presenting environmental and health risks.

The United States was once the world’s largest producer of rare earths, while Brazil and Vietnam have significant reserves but lag in production.

The Biden administration is pushing for U.S. investment in the rare earths supply chain, and other countries aim to reduce reliance on China.

Australia is investing millions in rare earth mining and processing in the Northern Territory.

Rare earth elements such as yttrium and europium are vital for electronics, electric vehicles, and wind turbines, supporting the global clean energy transition.

Europe welcomes new discoveries of rare earths amid energy challenges and its goal to become climate neutral by 2050.

EU leaders highlight concerns over China’s near-monopoly on rare earths and the resulting sharp price increases in recent years.

Political leadership is urged to create policies to enable green and fossil-free industry production.

Greenland’s ice sheet melt releases sediment-loaded sand, which could also become economically valuable as global demand for sand soars.

Challenges include logistical difficulties due to sand’s weight and volume, affecting shipping feasibility.

Some mining projects like the Nebraska rare earths project still face obstacles that may prevent development.

Norway has discovered substantial seabed mineral deposits and must decide on future deep-sea mining with parliamentary approval required.

Global corporations such as Apple focus on sustainability, while figures like Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos are involved in green technology and climate initiatives.

Investor interest in rare earth minerals is growing, with attention turning to Greenland's potentially vast reserves.

Greenland is thought to possess significant rare earth mineral deposits, which are valuable assets amid the global push for green technologies.

These minerals are needed for products such as lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, of which only 0.5% of current production is supplied to manufacturers.

Estimates indicate the world will require double the amount of lithium and 70% more cobalt in just three years.

Rare earth metal supply chains are dominated by China, but G7 countries have agreed to establish reliable supply chains for key minerals.

Countries and corporations are now competing for access to and control of new deposits, and there is a global push to identify large reserves where previous finds have occurred.

Major projects are being outlined at key sites such as the Afrikandovskoye field, where a mining and processing plant is scheduled for construction in 2025.

The Tomtorskoye field, one of the world’s largest with reserves of over 32 million tons of ore, is also under development to boost local economies and national strategic capabilities.

Disputes persist around seabed mineral extraction, as regulatory bodies work to develop feasibility guidelines for deep-sea mining by the end of the year.

Interest is also increasing in Arctic and deep-ocean reserves, with Russia aiming to enhance its Arctic mining capabilities and supply chains.

Mining operations in remote or extreme environments face substantial logistical challenges, including environmental concerns and the necessity for specialized icebreaking and transport infrastructure.

Countries lacking their own Arctic fleets are entering the market via partnerships with those that have established bases or assets.

Ukraine, for example, acquired an icebreaker at half the market price and is outfitting it for scientific and logistical expeditions.

New generations of mineral exploration technologies such as gravimeters are being developed to enhance extraction and discovery in challenging environments.

China has expressed willingness to support mineral extraction in Afghanistan, signaling broader geopolitical competition around rare earths.

European industries are wary of overreliance on Chinese and Russian rare earth metals, given risks to supply chains and defense industries.

The global race for rare earth minerals is intensifying, with nations and corporations making strategic investments and partnerships to secure future access.

There is a global race among financiers and corporations to search for and exploit rare metals in Greenland.

Kobold Metals CEO Kurt House told CNN the company is seeking a deposition in Greenland that could be the world's largest or second-largest for nickel and cobalt.

A Canadian company has received a license to mine rare metals in Greenland.

NEO CEO Constantine Karianopoulos told the New York Times that his aim is to reduce exposure to volatile global crude prices by investing in these minerals.

Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos have invested $15 million to search for electric car metals in Greenland, partnering with Bluejay and seeing significant potential in the Disko project.

The Democratic Republic of Congo possesses some of the world’s highest purity copper but faces violent ethnic conflict hindering exploitation.

Rare earth minerals are crucial for high-tech industries, such as smartphones, electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels.

Countries are competing for access to critical minerals, intensifying interest following the expiration of an international ban on deep-sea mining.

The deep sea is seen as a promising source of copper, cobalt, and nickel for new technologies.

Fauna & Flora’s Katherine Wheeler cautioned that pursuit of these minerals must consider environmental consequences.

Australia has allocated 243 million Australian dollars to four rare earth remediation projects, nearly half of which will go to Western Australia for battery material processing facilities by Pure Battery Technologies and Poseidon Nickel.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison emphasized the need for secure supply chains for vital minerals.

Australia has vast rare earth reserves but currently lacks processing capacity, which is dominated by China, accounting for 70–80% of production, raising US concerns after China threatened export bans in 2019.

New processing initiatives are thus being launched to circumvent reliance on China.

Discoveries of rare earth deposits, such as in the EU and around Kiruna iron mine, are being developed, but extraction could take up to 10–15 years.

Extraction and refining of rare earth minerals pose technical and environmental challenges, as highlighted by experts, due to toxicity and specialized required technology.

International corporations and countries are actively investing in Greenland’s mineral potential, motivated by technological demand and geopolitical competition.

Greenland’s parliament has passed a bill banning exploration of uranium and other radioactive deposits, halting rare earth development at Greenland’s southern tip.

The government revoked a Chinese mining company’s iron ore license near Nuuk due to non-payment and inactivity.

Tanbreez Mining plans to commence rare earth mining in Greenland next year, with additional plans for a processing plant in Europe.

Rare earths are comprised of 17 different metal elements, each with distinct properties.

Former US President Donald Trump expressed interest in buying Greenland, but Greenland’s government maintains that the island is not for sale and belongs to its people.

Renewable energy supplies 72% of Greenland’s electricity, primarily from hydropower.

China is considered to have an early lead in rare earth processing and global key metal supply chains, bolstered by the Belt and Road Initiative.

China’s rare earth sector, after several consolidations since 2003, has reduced company numbers and increased scale.

According to the US Geological Survey, China’s reserves dropped from 55 million tons in 2016 to 44 million tons in 2020; their global share declined from almost half to about 36%.

China remains the largest rare earth producer but is increasingly dependent on imported lithium for electric vehicle manufacturing.

A large rare earth mine found in Sweden threatens to ease the EU’s rare earth shortage, representing the largest known deposit in Europe, though mining may not begin for 10 to 15 years.

The EU is trying to diversify rare earth supply, especially after the Ukraine crisis, seeking stronger internal supply chains and focusing on downstream uses like permanent magnets.

Efforts to diversify are seen as a counter to China’s dominance in the rare earth market; EU leaders view rare earths as potentially more important than oil and gas.

China, amid Sino-American tensions, seeks to maintain global supply chain dominance, including proposing a merger of state-owned firms to form the world’s largest rare earth company, “China Rare Earth Group,” based in the resource-rich Jiangxi Province.

AEX Gold aims to invest in Greenland through its new gold mining project and has a five-year plan to start production at Nalunaq, using generated cash to fund broader exploration in the district.

Title:

Content: AEX Gold aims to invest in Greenland through its new gold mining project

Traditionally known for its fishing and hunting industries, Greenland is fast becoming the next significant area of exploration for mining businesses. The largest island in the world, Greenland remains one of the least populated areas worldwide with 56,000 citizens, and it has sought to attract local and foreign investment across a number of new projects.

The island’s current position remains complex. A sovereign government, it is positioned under the Danish kingdom who provide grants to support its local economy. To further its independence and bolster its economy to create increased tax revenue, Greenland has embraced the exploration of new mining projects as well as utilising all the renewable and local resources it has to offer.

Rich in rare-earth minerals, gold, iron-ore, uranium, in addition to hydro and wind power, Greenland’s favourable legal framework and robust infrastructure, particularly in South Greenland, have factored into AEX Gold’s vision to explore through its Greenlandic subsidiary, Nalunaq Gold Mine, situated in the Nanortalik Gold belt, Southern Greenland.

Acquiring an existing Exploitation Licence in 2015, the company is at the advanced exploration stage of its Nalunaq property, including the previously operating Nalunaq Gold Mine.   It also holds Exploration Licences at the early exploration stage Vagar and Tartoq properties.

Hosting a high-grade NI 43-101 compliant gold resource estimate of 263k oz (inferred) at 18.7 g/t and a number of regional exploration targets, AEX Gold has undertaken three years of exploration at Nalunaq, developing an updated geological model and an extension of the main vein strike length up to 1km.

“The government is very supportive, so it's about having a sound exploration strategy. We are very much focused on that, as we have an asset package that we think we can grow and create a lot of value,” explains Chief Executive Officer, Eldur Olafsson.

Originating from Iceland, Olafsson has gained extensive experience of the local geography. Focusing on mining projects in Greenland since 2012, he has analysed the country’s potential against the backdrop of environmental responsibilities and associated legalities with partner SRK Exploration Services. Through this process, the business has turned its attentions solely towards gold exploration.

“The known gold deposits in Greenland are in an area where the climate is mild and, given our experience, logistics are relatively easy. Gold opportunities are easier to finance than larger base metals projects and our perception was that we could fully fund projects like these through our support here in Iceland and in the UK market,” he explains.

“We started looking for opportunities in the South Greenland Gold Province and became aware of this historically producing mine. We were attracted by the extremely high-grade potential of the resource and the fact that the project had significant infrastructure in place.  We believed there were significant opportunities to materially improve the mining operation that had been run by previous operators.”

Extensive exploration

Throughout the exploration of high-grade resources, Olafsson is proud to remain hands on and is regularly seen on site. By undertaking various technical studies, AEX has gained the ability to comprehensively analyse similar types of assets with potential.  After acquiring the Nalunaq project in 2015 the company has continued to expand its portfolio. Whilst Nalunaq encompasses the required licence to explore and recommence production at the old gold mine, they own the larger Vagar exploration licence, situated a few kilometres to the west of the mine, where AEX believes the ground is prospective for the discovery of further Nalunaq-type deposits.  In addition, they also own the early stage Tartoq Project to the North West of Nalunaq. Each licence area is at a different stage of exploration which supports AEX’s aim of having a continuous pipeline of projects being brought into production.

“We have a total of 690sqkm of licences in south Greenland and we're the only active listed gold company in Greenland. Previous operators undertook very little forward-looking exploration once the mine was in production.  It's a very under-explored region so we intend to recommence production within the next two years at Nalunaq in order to support our exploration in the larger licences in the next 5-10 years,” he says.

“Iceland is a short distance from Greenland, so logistically it’s good for us. Additionally, in Iceland you need to be really self-sufficient, and the same can be said for those in Greenland. We don't have as many people or the multitude of services that you would have in other countries which encourages you to think creatively,” he adds.

Consequently, the company has sought to maximise efficiency whilst keeping costs down, yet all the time adding increased value across its operations.

By acquiring a high-grade deposit, less material is needed to be broken down, lowering AEX Gold’s carbon footprint. Everything taken out of the mine from underground will be processed and shipped out to a different processing facility, or processed on site adhering to the current environmental guidelines. Historically, electricity has been generated through the use of traditional fossil fuels, something which is steadily changing throughout Greenland.

“We're using oil to put in generators or to power mobile mining equipment which is high cost both in monetary and environmental terms.   Greenland currently has five hydroelectric power plants and they are looking at building more in south Greenland,” says Olafsson.

Seeing huge opportunities, he explains that the use of hydropower and wind power would complement AEX Gold’s operations, not only in its existing exploration activities, but with the implementation of an electric mining fleet with electricity being obtained from local renewable resources.

Providing local opportunities

In the future, it will be essential for Greenland to gain further revenue to unlock opportunities and services for its citizens. This is something Olafsson believes that AEX Gold can help with due to its knowledge of Iceland as it has many similarities to Greenland and has been through a period of comparable change.

“Greenland is in a similar position to Iceland not so long ago. Iceland didn't have a high education rate and wasn’t wealthy compared to other European countries, with economic and cultural activities that were very insular. We are now at the highest level of all parameters in terms of education, wealth per family, etc. and this has stemmed from improving the breadth of schooling and creating opportunities for people to grow and develop outside of the traditional areas of agriculture and fisheries.

“Our aim is that the majority of employees will be Greenlandic, but it will take time. Greenland has a large number of people competing for jobs in the fisheries and tourist centres. It is important that Greenlanders are able to access programmes that will allow them to consider other career options. In Iceland we are importing a lot of people to work in different industries in our country because we don't have enough people. This might be the case for Greenlanders as well if the anticipated growth of the Mining Sector materialises but we want to ensure that, where possible, we use local people first before looking elsewhere.

“The Greenlandic Government provides good support for those who seek education.  There are an increasing number of Greenlandic students attending Danish Universities so that now, for example, we are seeing well qualified Greenlandic geologists available for employment.  There has been a Mining School at Sisimiut for the last 10 years which provides local qualified labour who can take advantage of opportunities in the Mining sector.  You need skilled labour and as we own a mine that was in production for 10 years previously, there is a fair bit of local knowledge that we have been able to use during our exploration work and which we are keen to utilise going forward,” he says.

“We are creating revenue for local communities, creating highly skilled jobs, and are providing benefits where local communities can live better lives and grow as individuals. We need to create opportunities for young people.”

Additionally, by working with local businesses as well as those who have been operating in Greenland for some time, AEX has made a conscious effort to hire companies which can support its growth. AEX have therefore acquired a longstanding relationship with Cartwright Drilling, due to the company’s extensive experience in Greenland and subsequent knowledge of the island’s government systems, processes and practices.

Planning to mine high-grade resources using significant infrastructure already in place, AEX Gold holds extensive licences managed by an experienced team. Previous operations produced between 50,000 to 100,000 ounces a year at 15.4 grams/ton produced and this has provided a benchmark for the company, who will utilise this cash flow to explore the wider region in the long-term.

“We have a five-year plan where we want to get into production at Nalunaq and use the cash generated to fund exploration in the wider district.   We envisage investing a significant amount in exploration assets to provide a portfolio of different deposits that we can bring into production. We are creating a company that has a long-term mission in Greenland to build up local know how to support our aim of ramping up to very profitable production across a number of projects,” notes Olafsson.

“It will create a dramatic effect on the local community and hopefully be a springboard for unlocking much larger potential in Greenland. There are plenty of deposits that have been found, but you have to be able to develop them. You can only do that that with support and cooperation from the local people who believe in your vision.”

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Eldur Olafsson

Olafsson of AEX Gold states the company's long-term mission is to build local expertise supporting profitable production across multiple projects in Greenland.

Several deposits have been identified in Greenland, but successful development remains a challenge.

Rare earth minerals are a group of 17 chemical elements including scandium, yttrium, and the lanthanides, as noted by the US Geological Survey.

Title:

Content: Sweden's new rare-earth metal find likely big deal for Western consumers

Sweden has discovered what is billed as Europe's biggest deposit of rare earth minerals - a crucial component of electronics and clean energy technology - giving a significant boost to the continent's hunt for trade security.

LKAB, the Swedish state-owned mining company, announced Thursday that it found deposits of more than 1 million tonnes of rare earth metals in the country's far northern Lapland province.

Products ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles and even military jets require these rare earth elements, which are not currently mined in Europe, the company said. Much of the world's supply comes from China, which has used them as a geopolitical tool.

LKAB president Jan Mostrom said in a statement that the find could be a "significant building block" for Europe, which faces a "supply problem." But the company also said that it would take at least a decade before the rare earth minerals discovered hit the market.

READ MORE:
* GM reaches supply deals for electric vehicle motor magnets
* Why rare earths are a Five Eyes hot topic
* The race against China's 'rare earths weapon'
* Rare earth could be common in NZ

Here's what to know about this major discovery and what it means for Western consumers.

What are rare earth minerals and where are they found?

Rare earths are not actually that rare. They are a group of 17 chemical elements, composed of scandium, yttrium and lanthanides, according to the US Geological Survey.

But mining rare earth minerals is complex, as supply is not concentrated in one location. Mining them also affects the environment, since their ores can be laced with radioactive materials such as thorium and uranium. Refining the minerals can generate toxic and radioactive waste, which poses environmental and health risks if not properly disposed of.

China hosts the majority of the world's reserve of rare earth minerals and is the world's leading supplier. (The United States was the largest producer several decades ago.) While Brazil and Vietnam have significant reserves, they lag far behind in mining them.

Access to the minerals became an issue in the trade war with China during the administration of US President Donald Trump. Beijing threatened to cut off exports to the United States in 2019 to retaliate against Trump's measures, pushing prices up and prompting Trump to sign an executive order increasing domestic production. The Biden administration has also pushed for investments in that supply chain.

Other countries have also moved to reduce their reliance on China. Australia is spending millions to develop a rare earths mine and processing plant in its Northern Territory.

What are rare earth minerals used for?

Multiple household goods, including televisions, computers, smartphones and lighting use rare earth minerals. Yttrium and europium, for instance, light up iPhone displays and allow them to vibrate.

They are also key elements of US-made defence systems, including night-vision technology, jets and armoured-vehicle alloys.

Rare earth minerals are critical for the global clean energy transition, as they are components of the magnets used in electric vehicles and wind turbines - although recently some companies have developed motors for electric vehicles that do not require rare earths.

What does Sweden's discovery mean for the climate?

LKAB's find was welcomed in Europe, which has faced energy challenges amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European Union also has a goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050.

In September, a senior EU official said Europe's climate ambitions were at risk without reliable supply chains. "Take China, with its quasi-monopoly on rare earths and permanent magnets and prices rising by 50-90% in the past year alone," wrote Thierry Breton, an EU commissioner. "Supply of raw materials has become a real geopolitical tool."

The European Raw Materials Alliance notes that while the European Union has a massive electric-motor manufacturing sector, "it is almost fully import dependent" when it comes to rare earth permanent magnets.

Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch said Thursday that Europe's independence from Russia and China would begin with this mine.

Political leadership in the continent, she said, "must give the industry the conditions to switch to green and fossil-free production."

The Washington Post

Mining rare earths impacts the environment due to the presence of radioactive materials such as thorium and uranium in the ores.

Sweden's LKAB, a state-owned mining company, recently announced a significant rare earth deposit exceeding 1 million tons in Lapland, which is expected to help address Europe's supply challenges.

Title:

Content: Democracy Dies in Darkness

Sweden’s new rare-earth metal find likely big deal for Western consumers

Sweden has discovered what is billed as Europe’s biggest deposit of rare earth minerals — a crucial component for electronics and clean energy needs — giving a significant boost to the continent’s hunt for trade security.

LKAB, the Swedish state-owned mining company, announced Thursday that it found deposits of more than 1 million tons of rare earth metals in the country’s far northern Lapland province.

Products ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles and even military jets require these rare earth elements which are not currently mined in Europe, the company said. Much of the world’s supply comes from China, which has used them as a geopolitical tool.

LKAB President Jan Mostrom said in a statement that the find could be a “significant building block” for Europe, which faces a “supply problem.” But the company also said that it would take at least a decade before rare earth minerals from the find hit market.

Here’s what to know about this major discovery and what it means for Western consumers.

What are rare earth minerals and where are they found?

Rare earths are not actually that rare. They are a group of 17 chemical elements, composed of scandium, yttrium and lanthanides, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

But mining rare earth minerals is complex, as supply is not concentrated in one location. Mining them also impacts the environment, since their ores can be laced with radioactive materials such as thorium and uranium. Refining the minerals can also generate toxic and radioactive waste, which poses environmental and health risks if not properly disposed of.

China hosts a majority of the world’s reserve of rare earth minerals and is the world’s leading supplier of the product. (The United States was the largest producer several decades ago.) While Brazil and Vietnam have significant reserves, they lag far behind in mining it.

China hints it will choke off U.S. ‘rare earths’ access. But it’s not that easy.

Access to the minerals became an issue during the Trump administration’s trade war with China. Beijing threatened to cut off exports to the United States in 2019 to retaliate against Trump’s measures, pushing prices up, prompting Trump to sign an executive order increasing domestic production. The Biden administration has also pushed for investments in that supply chain.

Other countries have also moved to reduce their reliance on China. Australia is spending millions to develop a rare earths mine and processing plant in its Northern Territory.

What are rare earth minerals used for?

Multiple household goods, including televisions, computers, smartphones, and lighting use rare earth minerals. Yttrium and europium, for instance, light up iPhone displays and allow them to vibrate.

They are also key elements of U.S.-made defense systems, including night vision technology, jets and armored vehicle alloys.

Rare earth minerals are critical for the global clean energy transition, as they are components of the magnets used in electric vehicles and wind turbines. Though recently, some companies have developed motors for electric vehicles that do not require rare earths.

What does Sweden’s discovery mean for the climate?

LKAB’s find was welcomed in Europe, which has faced energy challenges amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European Union also has a goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050.

In September, a senior E.U. official said that Europe’s climate ambitions were at risk without reliable supply chains. “Take China, with its quasi-monopoly on rare earths and permanent magnets and prices rising by 50-90% in the past year alone,” wrote Thierry Breton, an E.U. commissioner. “Supply of raw materials has become a real geopolitical tool.”

The European Raw Material Alliance notes that while the European Union has a massive electric-motor manufacturing sector, “it is almost fully import dependent” when it came to rare earth permanent magnets.

Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch said Thursday that Europe’s independence from Russia and China will begin with this mine.

Political leadership in the continent, she said, “must give the industry the conditions to switch to green and fossil-free production.”

China currently supplies most of the world’s rare earths and has used this dominance as a geopolitical tool.

LKAB’s president said the Swedish discovery could be “significant” for Europe, but production from the deposit is at least a decade away.

Mining and refining rare earth minerals is complex and produces toxic and radioactive waste, presenting environmental and health risks.

The United States was once the world’s largest producer of rare earths, while Brazil and Vietnam have significant reserves but lag in production.

The Biden administration is pushing for U.S. investment in the rare earths supply chain, and other countries aim to reduce reliance on China.

Australia is investing millions in rare earth mining and processing in the Northern Territory.

Rare earth elements such as yttrium and europium are vital for electronics, electric vehicles, and wind turbines, supporting the global clean energy transition.

Europe welcomes new discoveries of rare earths amid energy challenges and its goal to become climate neutral by 2050.

EU leaders highlight concerns over China’s near-monopoly on rare earths and the resulting sharp price increases in recent years.

Political leadership is urged to create policies to enable green and fossil-free industry production.

Greenland’s ice sheet melt releases sediment-loaded sand, which could also become economically valuable as global demand for sand soars.

Title:

Content: Greenland’s Melting Glaciers Spew a Complicated Treasure: Sand

Meltwater from the island’s ice sheet is loaded with the right kind of sand for concrete production—which further warms the planet.

Sand is both abundant and rare. Earth has vast deserts of the stuff, of course, but not the kind that’s in such high demand that sand mafias are killing for it. That special variety is a critical component of the concrete used in buildings and infrastructure, the production of which has skyrocketed exponentially over the last few decades. That has come at a significant climate cost: The industry now accounts for 8 percent of global carbon emissions.

Sand is also at the center of a strange climate story. Climate change is destroying Greenland’s ice sheet, producing an extraordinary amount of meltwater. (Even if we somehow totally stopped emissions today, Greenland’s melting could still contribute nearly a foot of sea-level rise.) And in a twist of fate, that meltwater is loaded with the right kind of sand for concrete production, which causes more warming and more melting. Great plumes of glacial sediment are swirling along the coast, actually adding land along the edges of the island. Even though Greenland is only three times the size of Texas, its ice sheet is the source of 8 percent of suspended river sediments flowing into the oceans.

The country now has to figure out whether exploiting that valuable, abundant resource on a wider scale would be environmentally, socially, and economically tenable. “It is quite controversial—we're saying Greenland can benefit from climate change,” says Mette Bendixen, a geographer at McGill University in Canada, who’s studying the idea. “Contrary to most of the other parts of the Arctic coast, Greenland is not eroding. It's in fact growing bigger, because the ice sheet is melting. So you can think of the ice sheet as a tap that pours out not only water, but also all the sediment.”

That sediment is special, indeed. Desert sand from, say, the Sahara is no good for making concrete because it’s too rounded and uniform. Over millennia, winds push those grains around, polishing them. If you make concrete out of such sand, “it's almost like building with marbles,” says Bendixen. “You want particles that are more angular in shape, not rounded. And that type of material is exactly what you get from rivers, for example, or material that has been deposited by glaciers.”

As Greenland’s ice sheet—which covers 700,000 square miles and is up to 10,000 feet thick—rubs against the land, it grinds up sediment, including sand, fine silt, and larger chunks of gravel. And as the ice melts, torrents of water carry all that debris to the sea, while the pounding of the rivers themselves further erodes the landscape. Compared to the thousands of years that sand spends rolling around the Sahara and becoming rounded, the particles coming off Greenland are fresher. They’re more angular and more diversely shaped. Instead of acting like marbles, they fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, which is good for concrete.

Greenland already harvests its sand for local, small-scale concrete production, since importing sand would be prohibitively expensive. This is limited to domestic companies, who have to win non-exclusive permits after passing environmental review by the government’s scientific advisers. They can also apply to export the sand, but that requires additional licensing. “We are basically also open for sand extraction aiming at export, but then it will be treated like any other mining activity,” says Kim Zinck-Jørgensen, of the Greenland government’s Mineral Licence and Safety Authority. “And for that you'll have a much greater setup with regulations and also environmental impact assessments, social impact assessments.”

Currently, dredging boats suck up sediment along the coast and filter out the sand, which is then brought back onshore. But if Greenland decides to scale up sand extraction for export, that would mean big ships would have to haul the stuff away to international ports. “It's important to stress that if you extract whatever natural resource, there will be environmental consequences,” says Bendixen. “But really, here the environmental consequences can be super broad.”

For one, those big ships will also be bringing in ballast, or the water they’ve collected from elsewhere and stored in their hulls for balance. If that ballast is released off the coast of Greenland, it may introduce invasive species. And, of course, dredging coastal sediments would further endanger underwater native creatures—and on land, increased mining operations might scare away the game that Inuit hunters rely on. (Greenland’s population is about 90 percent indigenous Inuit. The Greenland branch of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, an NGO representing Inuit peoples, declined to comment for this story.)

Interestingly, though, last month Bendixen and her colleagues published a survey of Greenlanders about their opinions on sand extraction. They found that 84 percent of adult residents are in favor of it, and three-quarters want it to be a national project. “It turns out that the vast majority of Greenlanders think that it should be primarily a Greenlandic enterprise,” says Rasmus Leander Nielsen, a political scientist at the University of Greenland, who did the survey with Bendixen. “Maybe you could have some smaller-scale, Greenlandic-led companies that could start off. And then eventually, when the business case is more favorable, then we could go into a larger export.”

About that business case: While the global demand for sand has gone wild, the economics of exported Greenland sand aren’t yet clear. A company would have to pay to run the local operations and foot the shipping costs to get the resource off the island. Those will be considerable, since sand is heavy and takes up a lot of room in a ship.

The Greenland government recently worked with a consultancy that did an assessment, finding that exporting the sand to Europe isn’t economically feasible at the moment. “Whether it's feasible to export it further on to the Middle East, I don't know,” says Thomas Lauridsen, chief adviser to Greenland’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Justice. “But we will then be in competition with European companies that will dredge sand in Europe or closer to the customer.”

Lauridsen adds that it’s up to the private sector to determine whether selling Greenland’s sand is cost-effective or not. And that export cost calculus may change in the future. “By 2100, the demand for sand is going to rise 300 percent, and the price 400 percent,” says Bendixen. “So we don't have to look that much farther into the future to start seeing a different calculation here in terms of whether it's worthwhile.”

Yes, a world with more sand harvesting for making more concrete would also mean more carbon emissions, more warming, and more melting of Greenland’s ice sheet. But, Bendixen says, all that glacial sand need not go exclusively toward concrete. Coastal communities are increasingly clamoring for sand to hold back rising seas, a fortification known as beach nourishment. “Just think of the irony in using the sand for beach nourishment to mitigate sea-level rise,” says Bendixen, “which is caused by—to a large extent—the melting of the Greenland ice sheet!”

Challenges include logistical difficulties due to sand’s weight and volume, affecting shipping feasibility.

Some mining projects like the Nebraska rare earths project still face obstacles that may prevent development.

Title:

Content: Nebraska project finds key minerals, but can it mine them?

ELK CREEK, Neb. (AP) — Far beneath the rolling cropland of southeast Nebraska sits a deposit of elements that can be used to make steel and aluminum stronger. Extracting them would seem to be just the kind of project that President Joe Biden has argued is needed to reduce the United States' dependence on foreign suppliers of critical minerals.

But a proposed mine to recover the minerals — niobium, scandium and titanium — is instead providing a case study in the difficulty of actually launching such projects in the U.S.

The challenges start with the massive amount of money needed to build a mine but also include fickle customers, the nation’s tougher environmental regulations, volatile markets and intense international competition. As a result, despite years of efforts, the mine in Nebraska might never be built.

“People can spend their careers — all of their life — working for a mining company and never produce an ounce of metal,” said analyst David Abraham, who wrote a book about mining rare earth elements.

Without a doubt, money is the biggest hurdle to mining company NioCorp's plans to build a mine about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Omaha. The company estimates it needs about $1 billion and so far, it hasn't secured enough major investors and the federal government hasn't shown much willingness to share that cost.

The U.S. is dependent on imports for the 35 substances it currently designates as critical minerals, including niobium, scandium and titanium. The U.S. relies entirely on imports for 14, and foreign producers provide more than half the supply of another 14 substances, led by China.

Recently, tight supplies caused prices to soar for the critical elements used in lightweight magnets for electric vehicles and other high-tech products. In 2011, new export restrictions by China caused abrupt shortages of 17 rare earth elements.

Niobium is mixed with steel to make the alloy stronger, lighter and more heat and corrosion resistant. It is used in bridges, oil rigs, pipelines and jet engines. Most of the U.S. supply comes from open pit mines in Brazil. The U.S. has never had a significant shortage, but the government is concerned enough that it keeps a supply in its national defense stockpile.

Scandium can make aluminum stronger, is used in some specialized lasers, and would be used more widely if greater supplies were available. Most comes from China, with smaller amounts produced in the Philippines, Russia, Canada and Kazakhstan

The titanium that NioCorp hopes to produce would primarily be used in paint production. Unlike niobium and scandium, there are a few U.S. mines, but more than half the titanium is imported from China and other countries.

Company officials say tests have found some of the most sought-after elements at the Nebraska site, but it's not clear yet whether there's enough to be commercially viable.

Even if NioCorp can come up with the money for its mine, its profitability could hinge on whether its minerals will be cheaper than foreign competitors' supplies.

“Simply knowing the existence of a mineral deposit that’s attractive geologically does not guarantee commercial viability,” said professor Rod Eggert, deputy director of the Critical Materials Institute at the Colorado School of Mines.

NioCorp has been actively exploring the site for seven years, drilling out samples from as deep as 3,000 feet (900 meters) below the surface. The company raised $6.2 million earlier this year to buy the land, and since 2015 has raised roughly $60 million.

Nearly half of NioCorp’s 6,400 shareholders live in Nebraska not far from the project. The proposal has received the key state and federal environmental permits it would need.

But the Nebraska project is one of dozens of critical minerals projects worldwide at various stages of development, competing for investors.

“I can assure you that as the largest shareholder of this company, there is nothing more that I want done faster than financing, and we’re working our tails off to get it done,” said NioCorp CEO Mark Smith, who holds more than 19 million shares and has loaned the company more than $2 million of his own money.

The Biden administration made rare earth elements a focus of its supply chain review earlier this year and is investigating the national security implications of relying so heavily on imports. A task force is planned to identify U.S. sites for production.

The new $1 trillion infrastructure plan that provides incentives for electrical vehicles and wind power is expected to boost demand for critical minerals.

“It always helps when the public sees that the government has an interest in these areas,” NioCorp’s Smith said. “But I’ve been in this business for an awful long time — over 40 years — and I think it may be time for us to quit studying these issues and start doing something about the issues.”

Norway has discovered substantial seabed mineral deposits and must decide on future deep-sea mining with parliamentary approval required.

Title:

Content: Norway discovers 'substantial' levels of metals and minerals on its seabed

The metals and minerals discovered could be enough to "cover many years of global consumption", according to researchers, who add they could aid in the manufacture of wind turbines and electric vehicles.

Why you can trust Sky News

Norway has discovered what it calls "substantial" levels of metals and minerals on the floor of its extended continental shelf - including rare earth metals, officials have revealed.

The discovery of these elements could help produce parts for wind turbines and electric car batteries, which require things like neodymium and dysprosium to be manufactured.

Officials also found there is 38 million tonnes of copper on the seabed, which equates to twice what is mined globally every year, and around 45 million tonnes of zinc in polymetallic sulphides.

Magnesium, niobium, cobalt, which are on the European list of critical minerals, were also discovered,

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, which carried out the research, said: "For several of the metals, the mineral resources are sufficient to cover many years of global consumption.

"The transition to a low-emission society enhances the need for specific elements."

Norway, which is a major global exporter of oil and gas, will now need to decide whether to open the offshore areas to deep-sea miners - a decision that requires the approval of parliament.

More on Norway

Sulphides are found along the mid-ocean ridge, where magma from below the earth's surface, meets the sea floor at depths of around 3,000 metres.

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However, the decision to open up the seas to miners could come at an environmental cost, according to campaigners.

Norway's Institute of Marine Research said in a consultation letter that more work needs to be conducted on the way the organisms live on the sea bed, and what the impact of mining would be.

It added that while estimates from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate showed estimated levels of minerals, further studies will also be needed to work out what can be taken within acceptable environmental levels.

Not long after the discovery was announced, the Kremlin in Russia revealed President Vladimir Putin held a meeting of his security council to discuss the borders and boundaries of the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean, which was attended by the likes of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Global corporations such as Apple focus on sustainability, while figures like Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos are involved in green technology and climate initiatives.

Title:

Content: There were 139 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 444,785 in the last 365 days.

Top 5 Companies and Billionaires at the Forefront of Sustainability, Leading the Charge Against Climate Change

Sahit Muja

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, December 16, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters highlight the need for immediate and comprehensive action to address the impacts of global warming. To tackle the urgent challenges of climate change, it's imperative to recognize the need for immediate and comprehensive action. Carbon capture technologies, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), are essential tools in mitigating emissions from various sources, contributing to the global effort to combat global warming.

The involvement of influential figures, particularly some of the world's wealthiest individuals, is crucial in addressing climate change. Their philanthropic endeavors and investments in innovative solutions demonstrate a commitment to advancing technologies, supporting research, and implementing initiatives aimed at reducing emissions and promoting sustainability.

To address the complex challenges posed by climate change, a collaborative approach is necessary, involving governments, businesses, scientists, and communities. This collective effort is vital for implementing effective strategies, adapting to the impacts of climate change, and ensuring a sustainable future for the planet.

The 28th conference of the parties (COP28) recently concluded in Dubai, bringing together negotiators from around the world to address human-caused climate change. While progress was made, the conference fell short of delivering decisive action commensurate with the urgency of the climate crisis. Here are key decisions taken at COP28:

Loss and Damage: A landmark agreement was reached to support vulnerable nations facing the worst impacts of climate change. This includes the development of national response plans, addressing insufficient climate information and data, and promoting safe human mobility in cases of loss and damage. A geographically diverse board will oversee the fund, initially managed by the World Bank, with pledges totaling over $650 million.

Climate Finance Target: Progress was made on the new collective quantified goal (NCQG), building on the $100 billion pledged by developed nations for climate mitigation and adaptation. An agreement was made to draft a post-2025 finance target ahead of COP29.

Global Goal on Adaptation: The emphasis on supporting strategies for adapting to climate change impacts continued. The final text calls for a doubling in adaptation finance, with explicit 2030 targets for water security, ecosystem restoration, and health. However, language around closing the adaptation finance gap was weakened.

Global Stocktake and Fossil Fuels: The Global Stocktake, scrutinized for its language on emissions and fossil fuels, saw improvements. The final text mentions the projection of peak global emissions between 2020-2025 and aligns with emissions reductions consistent with the 1.5°C goal. Concerns include weakened language on coal and a call for a "transition away" from fossil fuels rather than a "phaseout."

Carbon Markets: No agreement was reached on carbon markets, leaving questions about supervision and accounting for credits. The permanence of claimed reductions/removals will be addressed at COP29. The importance of delivering a just transition was highlighted in various agreements, but more work is needed on quantitative terms. Nature received attention in the Global Goal on Adaptation, emphasizing ecosystem-based and nature-based solutions.

Many of the world's largest and most powerful companies are indeed investing heavily in green energy and sustainable practices to mitigate climate change. These companies are not only recognizing the environmental imperative but also the business opportunities associated with clean and renewable technologies. Here are some notable companies leading the way in green tech innovation and sustainability:

Apple achieved the transition to sourcing 100% renewable electricity

Apple is the largest company in the world, with a market cap of over $3 trillion USD. Apple achieved the transition to sourcing 100% renewable electricity at its offices, retail stores, and data centers in 2018. In 2020, Apple took steps to be carbon neutral for corporate emissions, including business travel and employee commute. An ambitious goal was announced in 2020 to become carbon neutral for the entire life cycle of Apple products by 2030. Launched in 2015, the Supplier Clean Energy Program is integral to Apple's goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030.

Focus on increasing energy efficiency at supplier facilities and transitioning suppliers to clean, renewable electricity.As of March 2022, 213 manufacturing partners in 25 countries have committed to 100% renewable electricity for Apple production.Apple has invested directly in nearly 500 megawatts of renewable electricity projects, covering a portion of upstream emissions. The Supplier Clean Energy Program has almost 16 gigawatts of clean energy commitments.

In FY2021, the 10.3 gigawatts of renewable energy in Apple's supply chain generated 18.1 million megawatt-hours of clean energy. This resulted in avoiding 13.9 million metric tons of carbon emissions, a 62% increase over FY2020. The Supplier Clean Energy Program is at the center of Apple's commitment to greener manufacturing.

Apple envisions a world where renewable energy is cost-effective, reliable, and widely available. The Supplier Energy Efficiency and Supplier Clean Energy Programs work together to reduce energy use in the supply chain and transition to renewable sources.

Apple measures progress and takes responsibility for emissions generated in its supply chain. Apple empowers supplier-facing employees with tools to support the transition to renewable electricity. Internal training, engagement processes, and resources are provided to Apple employees and suppliers. Transparency on supplier progress is emphasized to scale the impact across the supply chain. Apple shares its experience in transitioning to renewable energy with suppliers. Resources, training materials, and country-specific information are provided to guide suppliers in their transition to renewables. The Supplier Clean Energy Portal offers tools for education and training.

Apple created the China Clean Energy Fund to enable investment in clean energy projects totaling over 1 gigawatt in China. Suppliers are connected with opportunities to buy renewable energy directly from project developers and utilities. Overall, Apple's comprehensive approach involves internal initiatives, supplier engagement, and investments to achieve its ambitious environmental goals.

Google's Green Energy Initiatives: Google has matched all its energy consumption with renewable energy for five years and aims to use 100% carbon-free energy. The company plans to enable 5 GW of new carbon-free energy across key manufacturing regions by 2030, expecting this to spur over $5 billion in clean energy investments.

Google is assisting over 500 cities in reducing 1 gigaton of carbon emissions annually by 2030. The Environmental Insights Explorer tool is expanded to 3,000 cities worldwide.

Amazon's Renewable Energy Growth:  Amazon has grown its renewable energy capacity by 8.3 GW through 133 new projects in 11 countries in 2022, bringing its total portfolio to over 20 GW.

The company aims to power its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025, five years ahead of its original 2030 target. Amazon set a new corporate record for the most renewable energy announced by a single company in one year.

Facebook's Commitment to renewable energy : Facebook is fully committed to the science-based target initiative to align corporate climate goals with the latest science. The company prioritizes reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting operations with renewable energy, leading to the construction of over 5,400 MW of new solar and wind power plants globally. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, associated with Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg, pledged $44 million for solutions to climate change, focusing on carbon capture efforts. These initiatives showcase the tech giants' dedication to environmental responsibility, renewable energy adoption, and supporting global efforts to combat climate change.

Microsoft's commitment to becoming carbon negative by 2030

Carbon Negative Commitment Microsoft has committed to being carbon negative by 2030. The company aims to remove from the atmosphere, by 2050, an equivalent amount of all the carbon dioxide emitted directly or through electricity consumption since its founding in 1975. Microsoft sees its commitment as a journey that involves reducing carbon emissions, replacing electricity consumption with carbon-free energy, and removing remaining emissions.

Microsoft's business grew by 18%, and overall emissions decreased by 0.5%. Total company emissions were just under 13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (mtCO2e). Scope 1 and 2 emissions, accounting for renewable energy purchases, were approximately 428,000 mtCO2e, while over 96% of emissions were in Scope 3, including the supply chain, lifecycle of hardware, travel, and other indirect sources.

Bill Gates Net Worth 112.2 billion USD

Bill Gates has been a prominent figure in advocating for climate action and investing in clean technologies. Here are some key points about Bill Gates and his efforts: Bill Gates leads the Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund, which is part of the broader Breakthrough Energy Group. The fund aims to invest in innovative and sustainable technologies that can help address climate change.

Mobilizing $15 Billion: Gates' climate fund plans to mobilize a significant amount, specifically $15 billion, into clean tech. This financial commitment underscores the scale of his dedication to supporting advancements in clean and sustainable technologies.

Breakthrough Energy Catalyst: Within the Breakthrough Energy Group, the Breakthrough Energy Catalyst is a fund that has successfully raised over $3.5 billion. This funding comes from a combination of contributions from businesses and charitable organizations.

Bill Gates expresses optimism about tackling climate change through innovation. He believes in the power of human ingenuity and invention to address the challenges posed by climate change. His confidence in innovation is a driving force behind his commitment to climate-related initiatives. Focus on Energy Breakthroughs: Gates emphasizes the importance of backing energy breakthroughs. His belief in the potential for innovative solutions to transform the energy landscape is reflected in the projects and technologies supported by the Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund.

Elon Musk Net Worth 255 billion USD

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has demonstrated a commitment to sustainability and green energy. Here are some key points about Elon Musk's contributions: Carbon Removal: Elon Musk has shown a deep concern for carbon removal as a critical aspect of addressing climate change. To support this cause, he pledged $100 million to the non-profit organization XPrize. The XPrize competition aims to find solutions that can collectively achieve the ambitious goal of removing 10 gigatons of carbon per year by 2050.

XPrize Competition: The $100 million commitment is designated for a four-year competition organized by XPrize. This competition challenges participants to develop innovative and effective solutions for carbon removal, contributing to the global efforts to combat climate change.

Tesla's Impact: Elon Musk's leadership at Tesla, an electric vehicle and clean energy company, has played a significant role in promoting sustainable transportation. Tesla's electric vehicles have gained popularity for their environmental benefits, contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions from the transportation sector. Renewable Energy: Through Tesla and SolarCity (acquired by Tesla), Elon Musk has been a proponent of renewable energy solutions. Tesla's energy products include solar panels and energy storage solutions, promoting the use of clean and renewable energy in homes and businesses.

Elon Musk's commitment to carbon removal, support for sustainable transportation, and promotion of renewable energy technologies align with his broader vision for a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.

Jeff Bezos Net Worth 172 billion USD.

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has made a significant commitment to addressing climate change. Here are key points about Jeff Bezos's commitment: Jeff Bezos pledged to commit $10 billion to fund initiatives aimed at addressing climate change. This funding is intended to support scientists, activists, nonprofits, and other groups working to protect the environment and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

In a statement, Bezos emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change, stating that it is the biggest threat to the planet. He expressed a desire to collaborate with others to amplify existing solutions and explore new approaches to combat the devastating impact of climate change on Earth.

Jeff Bezos's substantial financial commitment reflects a recognition of the severity of climate change and a proactive stance in supporting initiatives that can make a meaningful impact on environmental conservation and sustainability.

Michael Bloomberg Net Worth 96.3 billion USD

Michael Bloomberg, the founder of Bloomberg LP and former Mayor of New York City, has indeed been a prominent advocate for climate action. One of his notable initiatives in this regard is the "Beyond Carbon" campaign. Michael Bloomberg, aims to transition the United States away from coal and other fossil fuels to clean energy sources. The campaign focuses on advancing clean energy policies, supporting state and local efforts to phase out coal and shift to renewable energy, and advocating for policies that accelerate the transition to a carbon-free energy system.

Sahit Muja Net Worth  3.5 billion USD

Sahit Muja stands out as an influential entrepreneur, visionary leader, and investor. His remarkable success is anchored in significant private ownership of indispensable minerals, valued at hundreds of billions, establishing him as a key player in the global market. His approach, revitalizing struggling mining sites, enhancing safety standards, and stimulating economic growth. His strategic vision places emphasis on securing minerals essential for the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, aligning with the global shift toward clean energy.

Expanding beyond the mining sector, Muja has applied his innovation-driven approach to various industries, turning around businesses, and contributing to economic growth. His commitment extends to supporting local communities, fostering entrepreneurship, and reinforcing key mineral exploration.

Muja has crafted a new strategy, channeling investments toward battery ingredient minerals crucial for the clean energy transition, including lithium, manganese, aluminum, and graphite. He stresses an unwavering commitment to environmental, social, and governance standards.

Engaged in numerous mining projects globally, Muja holds substantial shares in various mining companies and serves as the Founder and CEO of Global Mining, Green Minerals, and Albanian Minerals. His diverse investments span Construction, Real Estate, and over 500 companies globally. Notably, he currently holds the world's largest magnesium reserves, substantial reserves of nickel, cobalt, and rare earth minerals, and one of the world's largest high-grade chromium reserves.
Muja's career and legacy extend to fields such as mining, environmental technologies, and sustainable resource management. His commitment to green energy and environmentally friendly technologies is evident in his role as a co-founder of a U.S.-based company addressing major global challenges, including climate change, water pollution, air pollution, land degradation, and deforestation.

Particularly focused on magnesium, Muja sees it as a sustainable supply for new batteries and lighter alloys, with applications in hydrogen production, wind turbines, robots, and carbon dioxide capture. Recognized as one of the best global business leaders, having discovered over 1 trillion tons of valuable minerals, Muja leads a diverse team of experts in science and technology, reflecting his commitment to the sustainable use of natural resources.

Muja emphasizes the importance of applying, adapting, and developing new technologies in the mining industry to meet global climate ambitions. His focus lies in innovations that promote sustainable and intelligent extraction of mineral resources, with a strong emphasis on green mining practices. Sahit Muja's journey, dedication to innovation, technology, and sustainable practices, along with his philanthropy and commitment to addressing global challenges, position him as a notable and influential figure in the business world.

David Greenberg
Green Innovation
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Investor interest in rare earth minerals is growing, with attention turning to Greenland's potentially vast reserves.

Title:

Content: The interest of investors in the exploration of metals is growing
11
Marina Demchenko
Over the past year, 107 billion tenge of private investments were attracted to the industry
infographic by Pavel Tsedilin
Over the past six months, Kazakhstan has issued about 500 licenses for geological exploration of solid minerals, including 70 in May this year.
All this became possible thanks to the ongoing reforms in the mining sector.
– The introduced general procedure for issuing licenses on the principle of “first come – first received ” made it possible to attract private investments in geological exploration.
As a result, from 2018 to 2023, about a billion dollars were attracted to the industry, ” Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapaev said during the XIV International Mining and Metallurgy Congress Astana Mining & Metallurgy.
Last year, large foreign companies (Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Kratos Resources, Cove Capital) and Kazakhstani companies competed in an electronic auction for the right to explore.
This month, another 23 deposits will be auctioned (coal, gold, phosphorites, non-ferrous stones, bauxite, barite, manganese, polymetals and others).
– The idea is very simple – it is necessary to look for large deposits where they have already been found.
And in this regard, Kazakhstan, of course, has very few competitors.
We are a country in which there are large deposits and, perhaps, there will be more.
I believe this very strongly, ” said the minister, convinced that thanks to this approach, our country will improve its place in the global supply chain of various metals.
Moreover, new opportunities are opening up for domestic MMC.
“Green ” transformation of energy, transport, further urbanization of the world require more and more metals, especially rare and rare earth, and Kazakhstan already has many years of experience and competence in their production.
For example, one in three in the world beryllium (30%), scandium (15%), osmium and one of four tantalum (10%) full-cycle production are in our country.
Kazakhstan titanium is recognized as the leading companies in the world and occupies 21% in the aerospace industry.
Today, we produce 17 of the 50 critical minerals in demand in the US, 19 of the 34 for the EU, and eight of the 18 in the UK.
This year, the production of manganese sulfate for cathodes of lithium-ion batteries began.
From next year we plan to provide 10% (50 thousand tons) of world consumption.
We are working on the production of high-purity battery nickel sulfate.
All these productions are based on domestic competencies, Kanat Sharlapaev said with pride.
– Our goal is to ensure the production of all types of precursors for lithium-ion batteries.
In December 2023, the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of the Rare and Rare Earth Metals Industry for 2024-2028 was adopted.
A number of tasks have been set that will have to be performed both on their own and in partnership with foreign investors.
For example, with the German company HMS Bergbau, lithium projects are underway in the east of the country.
With the British Maritime House on the basis of Zhezkazganredmet, the processing of secondary rhenium raw materials was established.
Now our manufacturers are working on expanding the range of rare metals.
A project for the production of tungsten (Almaty region) is being implemented with the Chinese company Jiangxi Copper, which will be launched this year.
Here it is necessary to bring the level of conversion to tungsten carbide, and then to superalloys based on tungsten.
“We want to be a midstream country in rare and rare earth metals, ” the minister did not hide.
According to Mikhail Volkov, managing director and partner of Boston Consulting Group, a new investment cycle is now being observed and, despite the fact that the last two years have brought difficulties to the development of the mining and metallurgical industry, investments in the sector are growing by more than 13% annually.
The dynamics in the different segments are certainly different: there are dying metals, there are winners in this race, and the “green ” revolution spurs them.
Against this background, the prospects for copper and lithium are good.
According to Benjamin Gallesot, the interdepartmental delegate for strategic supplies of ores and metals of the office of the Prime Minister of France, there are now three main trends in the metal market.
This is, above all, the growing demand, largely due to the energy transition.
Second, the ESG agenda.
Finally, diversification of supply.
According to him, France is interested in the possibility of searching for metals in Kazakhstan.
It is ready to cooperate not only in the field of geological exploration, but also to develop joint projects, for which an investment fund with a capital of 2 billion euros is being launched in France for the development of deposits of critical minerals outside France, including in our country.
However, as noted by the participants of the plenary session “The era of metals – challenges and solutions ”, it will not be easy to solve this problem.
MMC is developing in the conditions of a sufficiently large number of challenges, both global and local.
Dwindling resource base, rising cost of project development, ESG.
Competition for investment and human resources requires improving the efficiency of production and management, getting rid of unnecessary costs, introducing innovations and new technologies.
Therefore, it is no coincidence that a number of sessions within the framework of the AMM-2024 congress were devoted to discussing the difficulties in the development of critical raw minerals, the importance of science, personnel and international cooperation in this matter.
What else the participants of the congress talked about – read in the following issues of “Kazakhstani Pravda ”.
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Greenland is thought to possess significant rare earth mineral deposits, which are valuable assets amid the global push for green technologies.

Title:

Content: Zeb Nickel Drilling Program Reveals High Mineralization of Gold at South Africa Project
Zeb Nickel has discovered an abnormally high mineralization of gold at the Zebediela project in Limpopo, South Africa.
The company said that the mineralization of gold on the project is associated with the Petersburg greenstone belt.
Today,
Huge interest of North American investors in platinum bars in 2022
In 2022, investment products such as bars and coins, which guarantee 99.95% purity of the metal, will be in high demand among investors from North America.
Investments in platinum bars are encouraging them, including from the point of view of...
Today,
India Gem & Jewellery Show sees exponential growth in sales during holiday season
The Diwali Gem & Jewellery Show (GJS) will be held from 22 to 25 September 2022.
It was inaugurated yesterday by guest of honor Rajeev Garg, head of the Joint Tax Inspectorate at the Bombay Exhibition Centre.
September 23, 2022
Professor of Geology for the cancellation of backfilling of the Jagersfontein quarry
The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), which allowed the Jagersfontein diamond quarry to be backfilled with waste from the second compartment of the tailing dump to avoid...
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In India, exports of diamonds in August 2022 decreased by 7.48%, and imports of rough diamonds increased by 12.49%
In India, gross diamond exports totaled $1,879.74 million in August 2022, up from $2,031.64 million in the same month of the previous year, according to figures released by the Gem and Jewelry Export Promotion Council (Gem).
September 23, 2022
Africa should declare its rights to a share in investments in “green ” metals in the amount of $160 billion per year
Today,
Author: David McKay
(miningmx.com) - If global mining companies do not double their investment, the world has little chance of limiting global warming to 1.5 ° C, as stipulated in the Paris Agreement.
In this key finding of the June report of the Bank of America (BoA), it is said that the mining sector spending on the development of metal production should be $160 billion per year instead of the historical average of $99.5 billion.
"Based on current resource availability and market balance, we do not expect to achieve the global warming target of 1.5 ° C by 2050: a value of 1.7-1.8 ° C looks more likely.
As always, one of the solutions to the deficit and constraint problem is investment, ” says BoA.
What is required is not the discovery of one or two key ingredients, but a multitude of metals from the entire periodic table.
BoA describes them as “metals important to the technologies of the future ” necessary for the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles (EV) and engines for generating solar and wind energy.
The largest mining companies in the world are already looking for copper and cobalt.
There is also significant demand for lithium and nickel.
But there are lesser-known minerals that play an equally important role for decarbonization technology, such as manganese, or lesser-known elements, such as gallium, which is controlled by China, which worries the West.
In addition to the scarcity of resources, concern, especially in the United States, is the dominance of China in the supply chain of electric vehicles.
As for lithium used in lithium-ion batteries, China controls more than half of its refining and refining capacity.
According to the International Energy Agency, China also has three-quarters of the world ’ s largest lithium-ion battery plants.
Given that car manufacturers have set ambitious targets to boost sales of electric vehicles (the world ’ s largest car manufacturer, Toyota, says it plans to sell 3.5 million electric vehicles a year by 2030), the West risks failing.
Currently, it lags far behind in processing: only 1% of the world ’ s lithium is mined and processed in the West, according to the US Geological Survey.
As for the extraction of raw materials, about 80% is mined in Australia, Chile and China.
“Geographical concentration creates supply and logistics risks, ” says Fast Markets, a market research company.
While these risks are expected to begin to decline from 2025, Fast Markets says they will “continue to have a huge impact on the market ” due to the continued significant spread of Covid strains, conflict, and resource nationalism.
Thus, there is tremendous pressure on mining companies to take the initiative.
The problem is that they have their own internal conflicts.
Investors are refraining from authorizing uncontrollable spending on the kind of growth that has been disrupting the sector for four years from 2012 to 2016.
And, as stated in this publication, allowing new projects presents a big challenge: it takes a lot of time and money and is increasingly frustrating.
Quantum leap
Another way to look at the metals supply crisis is to define what the mining industry needs to produce to meet climate change targets.
To achieve the development path required to achieve zero emissions by 2050, copper production needs to reach 9.98 million tonnes per year by 2030, meaning a compound average growth rate of 14%, BoA said.
However, in the case of nickel, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to achieve the required volume of production is 40% (an increase from 94,983 tons produced in 2020 to 2.84 million tons by 2030).
A similar pattern for lithium (CAGR + 38%), platinum (+ 78%) and cobalt (+ 28%).
The shortage in the production of new metals has also led to price inflation.
In 2021, lithium rose in price by 280%, which caused a further increase in the cost of production of batteries and engines.
Rising costs of primary materials will inevitably shift to automakers, such as Tesla, and quite possibly consumers, potentially hurting demand for electric vehicles.
Quite often in such scenarios, scientists are urged to find a cheaper technology.
To sum up, bold assumptions about the metal content of today ’ s batteries may turn out to be wrong in the future, making long-term planning for mining companies difficult, unstable and financially risky.
Neal Froneman, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater, believes the industry is likely to have a wide range of choices, especially with regard to mobility.
“Battery-electric vehicles have a role to play, especially in Europe and cities, and internal combustion engines and hydrogen fuel-cell engines have a role to play, ” he says.
Supporters of Radical Reforms
However, to be clear, mining companies are unlikely to find themselves in a difficult financial position, especially those with specialized intellectual capital, or junior mining companies that have shown foresight and understood where the market is headed.
According to PwC ’ s annual report released in June, the market capitalization of the top five producers of lithium, graphite and rare earth metals rose 56%, 101% and 154%, respectively, last year.
For comparison, the market capitalization of the 40 largest companies in the world increased by only 7%.
Robin Birchall, CEO of Giyani Metals, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, is optimistic about his firm ’ s ability to engage in a new wave of discovery and development of resources that BoA considers necessary.
“We ’ ve certainly seen much better capital markets and a higher availability of capital, ” he said in an interview.
He estimates that there are 27 different potential suppliers of capital to his company, including private capital or firms that invest in exchange for the sale of metals, and other companies that receive royalties, or those that provide direct capital, as well as providers of conventional bonds.
“There ’ s a lot of interest now, ” he says.
Giyani Metals is based in Botswana, where its main project is K-Hill.
The company is based on a previously developed ore body, and Birchall wants to produce manganese.
It is not a “rare ” metal, its global supply amounts to 20 million tons per year, mainly for the steel industry, where it is used as an additive that increases hardness.
But 0.5% of production is now supplied to manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries.
Interestingly, Giyani produces a special grade of manganese known as high-purity electrolytic metal manganese.
According to PwC, the focus on such a product is characteristic of “new ” mining companies interested in manufacturing for the supply of“ precursor materials ”.
“Precursor materials are more advanced materials for energy transfer technologies, such as lithium hydroxide rather than spodumene concentrate, or cobalt sulfate rather than cobalt concentrate, ” says PwC in Mine.
Over the past three years, $5 billion has been invested in lithium hydroxide projects in Western Australia alone.
Not surprisingly, Australia has become the epicenter of new investments in lithium, as the country, along with Chile, Argentina and China, has the largest resources.
Zimbabwe has become a new source of lithium, and other new entrants include places such as the countries of the former Commonwealth of Independent States, composed of post-Soviet countries.
According to McKinsey & Company, the proliferation of resource options means that new reserves of lithium are sufficient to meet the growth in battery production, which will account for 90% of all lithium produced in five years.
“Despite expectations that the demand for lithium will grow from about 500,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent in 2021 to about three million tonnes in 2030, we believe that the lithium industry will be able to provide enough product to power the growing lithium-ion battery industry, ” says McKinsey.
Traditional lithium supplies are projected to increase by 300% between 2021 and 2030 through the development of new processing technologies such as direct lithium extraction and direct lithium production.
These technologies “could be the driving force behind the industry ’ s ability to respond faster to growing demand, ” the report said.
According to Vanessa Ushie, director of the African Development Bank, Africa has a competitive advantage in this regard.
A study commissioned by the bank found that setting up a battery precursor plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo is three times cheaper than in the US, China or Europe.
However, political reforms and unprecedented regional cooperation are needed to create the right conditions for investment.
Ushi proposes to make Africa a free trade zone.
“We want Africa to enter the value chain of minerals and batteries for electric vehicles, ” Ushi said in a presentation at the Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town this year.
Origin Fee
Demetrios Papathanasiou, global director of energy and mining at the World Bank, believes that Africa is in an ideal position in terms of clean energy supplies.
Since the continent does not have a developed infrastructure related to fossil fuels, it is a natural place for the development of more environmentally friendly production of battery metals.
“The important point is that Africa, compared to other places in the world, has not yet developed infrastructure that is largely related to fossil fuels.
The opportunity that Africa has is to move directly to cleaner and more efficient ways of using energy.
Batteries are a key part of achieving this, ” he said at the African Mining Investment Conference. “Africa has remarkable renewable resources and has the most sun in the world. ”
For many manufacturers of battery metals, the origin is becoming increasingly important.
Social awareness is a key driver of consumption, but a supply chain that cannot prove its environmental safety sufficiently is uncompetitive.
This is where Africa and the rest of the world have a potential advantage, says George Bennett.
Bennett is the CEO of Rainbow Rare Earths, a London-listed company that is upgrading the existing Phalaborwa mine in Limpopo, South Africa.
Rare earth elements, especially neodymium and praseodymium, are used in wind power and are crucial for the production of durable magnets powering wind turbines.
Bennett says: “I feel that for a ‘ green ’ electric vehicle and this ‘ green ’ economy, battery metal manufacturers will want to know the origins because we know that Chinese rare earth cells are very harmful.
They destroyed the environment. ”
The consequence of this is that, after production, the precursor minerals produced by Rainbow Rare Earth will cost more.
It helps businesses, especially when it comes to organising finances.
Bennett says that the development time of Falaborwa, and most likely the company ’ s second project in Burundi, has been reduced compared to earlier funding and development of mining projects.
“The full life cycle is 12 to 20 years, ” Bennett says of the mine ’ s normal life cycle,“ I ’ m going to look for funding and start construction in 2024.
I only took control of the project in January 2021, so this is an incredibly fast entry into the market for new neodymium and praseodymium supplies.
Very fast. "
As with Giyani ’ s Birchall, Bennett doesn ’ t think there will be any financial problems.
Burchall is equally comfortable with some of the other pressures emerging in the industry, such as the prospect that inflation, scarce resources, and geopolitical stressors will nullify the production plans of battery metal companies.
According to him, the electric drive came seriously and for a long time.
“You may have fewer cars in aggregate because of the scarcity, but manufacturers aren ’ t going to back down, ” Birchall says.“ When a major industrial concern, like an automobile company, makes an investment, it means at least a 10-year cycle. ”
The commercial catastrophe of becoming a niche supplier of internal combustion engines in the world of growing popularity of electric vehicles is a fear pushing all automakers to at least partially introduce battery technology.

What does Greenland's Tanbreez mine contain?

30% of oxides are highly sought after heavy rare earth metals

These minerals are needed for products such as lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, of which only 0.5% of current production is supplied to manufacturers.

Estimates indicate the world will require double the amount of lithium and 70% more cobalt in just three years.

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Disputes around the extraction of minerals from the seabed: the pros and cons
Tim Schauenberg as Stuart Brown
January 14, 2024
Norway wants to be the first country in the world to allow controversial seabed mining of rare earths and metals.
What are the risks associated with this process?
https: / / p.dw.com / p / 4b8zO
Whether it ’ s copper or nickel for batteries, cobalt for electric vehicles or manganese for steel production: more rare earths and metals are being used around the world, especially during the energy transition.
Demand is growing, but at the same time resources are becoming less and less.
According to experts, in three years, the world will need twice as much lithium and 70 percent more cobalt than today.
Therefore, some countries and companies are ready to extract resources in the deep sea.
Oslo takes first step towards deep-sea mining
At present, however, there are no internationally agreed rules for the underwater mining of rare earths.
And because of the unpredictable impact on the environment, activists and even some large companies oppose it.
Despite this, Norway in January 2024 decided to open 280,000 square kilometers of its territorial waters – an area exceeding the territory of the UK – to companies that want to extract valuable resources from the seabed.
Thus, Oslo is taking the first step towards deep-sea commercial mining.
In November 2023, more than 100 MEPs called on the Norwegian parliament to reject the proposal.
They fear the environmental risks associated with deep-sea mining, including for marine biodiversity.
"The deep sea is a treasure of biodiversity, rich in living resources that we use in medicine and which are important for regulating the climate," says marine biologist Diva Amon.
Without the deep sea, he said, "our planet will no longer be the same."
Can manganese nodules stimulate the energy transition?
Companies are particularly interested in so-called polymetallic nodules, also called ferromanganese nodules.
Lumps of a mixture of different metals the size of potatoes contain large amounts of nickel, copper, manganese, rare earth elements and other valuable metals.
At the moment, the best studied seabed at a depth of 3,500 and 5,500 meters in the Clarion-Clipperton zone in the eastern Pacific Ocean, near Hawaii.
This area, thousands of kilometers long, contains more nickel, manganese and cobalt than all known places on land.
The basin in the central Indian Ocean and the seabed off the Cook Islands, the atolls of Kiribati and French Polynesia in the South Pacific are also of potential interest for mining.
"Coincidentally, the composition of these nodules largely meets the needs of electric vehicle manufacturers," Gerard Barron, chief executive of The Metals Company, told DW.
The Canadian company specializes in the medium and long term exploitation of mineral resources in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
Ferromanganese nodules are not yet mined anywhere in the world, but this may soon change.
At a depth of thousands of meters, first of all, easy access to raw materials is important.
Manganese "tubers" are especially attractive for mining because they lie almost directly on the seabed.
They could be obtained relatively easily without destroying rock layers and the seabed.
Danger to marine flora and fauna
Instead, a sort of giant vacuum cleaner would have to roll across the seabed to suck the nodules, which would then be hosed to the surface.
But along with them, part of the seabed is also being destroyed, warns Matthias Haeckel, a scientist at the Helmholtz Center for Oceanological Research in Kiel: “This means that all organisms, as well as bacteria that live in sediments and on ‘ tubers ’, are completely absorbed. ”
According to Sabina Gollner, a senior researcher at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Marine Research, such biodiversity may not recover, because it requires manganese, and the tuber grows several millimeters in about a million years.
Opponents of deep-sea mining fear that it could cause huge damage to ecosystems within a radius of hundreds of kilometers.
Proponents of this method do not hide the potential harm to marine biodiversity.
However, they are confident that the environmental damage from land-based mining is much higher.
In particular, according to research by The Metals Company, with deep-sea mining, greenhouse gas emissions will be 80 percent less than with the land-based option.
Is a moratorium on deep-sea mining possible?
Possible exploitation of deep-sea deposits is regulated by the International Seabed Agency.
To date, it has signed 31 contracts for mineral exploration.
The Agency is developing a code of regulations on the feasibility of deep-sea mining, which should be ready before the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining because, in general, too little is known about its effects on the environment.
This call has already been supported by a number of countries, including Germany.
Some companies, such as BMW, Volkswagen, Google, Philips and Samsung SDI, also joined WWF ’ s call and pledged not to use raw materials mined deep under water or fund such mining for the time being.
See also:
Rare earth metals on the ocean floor

Rare earth metal supply chains are dominated by China, but G7 countries have agreed to establish reliable supply chains for key minerals.

Title:

Content: G7 countries agree to establish reliable supply chains for key minerals
G7 countries have agreed to establish sustainable supply chains with reliable partners for critical minerals, including rare earths.
Other countries
Oct. 29, 2023, 8: 45 a.m.
The G7 countries have agreed to establish sustainable supply chains with reliable partners for critical minerals, including rare earths.
According to Report with reference to Kyodo, this was stated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Yasutoshi Nishimura.
Nishimura, co-chair of the two-day G7 meeting among trade ministers in Osaka Prefecture, unveiled the agreement after the meeting, which was attended for the first time by delegations from emerging economies.
The G7 ministers said they seek to intensify cooperation with resource-rich countries, including the Global South, as the role they play in building sustainable resource supply chains is seen as increasingly important in today ’ s geopolitical situation.
Earlier this month, China, which holds a significant share of the mineral market, announced new export controls on graphite, a material widely used in batteries, fuel cells and nuclear reactors, effective Dec. 1.
“We are going to solve the problem of ‘ economic coercion ’ while avoiding falling into the trap of excessive protectionism, ” Nishimura added.
Events and sessions are being held in the neighboring cities of Osaka and Sakai as part of this year ’ s second G7 Trade Ministers Conference.
Latest news

Countries and corporations are now competing for access to and control of new deposits, and there is a global push to identify large reserves where previous finds have occurred.

Major projects are being outlined at key sites such as the Afrikandovskoye field, where a mining and processing plant is scheduled for construction in 2025.

Title:

Content: Murmansk region.
Arctic (16 +) 21.07.22 11: 00
The project - a global scale - at the Afrikandovskoye field choose a preliminary site for the location of the processing plant, tailings dump and infrastructure facilities of the GOK
At the Afrikandovskoye field of rare earth metals, a preliminary site for the location of the enrichment plant, tailings dump and infrastructure facilities of the future GOK is selected.
The day before, representatives of regional and municipal authorities, development institutions and investors of the project visited here.
One of the world's largest deposits of perovskite-titanium-magnetite ores is located southeast of Lake Imandra near the Afrikanda railway station in the Murmansk region.
The project of its integrated development is implemented by Arkmineral-Resurs JSC, accompanied by the Murmansk Region Development Corporation.
Ore reserves in Afrikande are estimated by geologists at more than 600 million tons.
“The project is developing, we will continue to look for solutions for its most effective implementation and“ landing ” on Afrikande and Polar Zori.
The project is of a global scale and in today ’ s realities is very important for Russian sovereignty in a number of industries, primarily in electronics.
It is designed to fill the necessary component base, which will allow import substitution of industrial growth points of the country.
For the region, the implementation of this project will create additional jobs, additional development opportunities.
Moreover, this is a high-tech project that gives impetus to the multiplier effect - this is science, engineering, and high technologies, "said Tatyana Russkova, Minister of Arctic Development and Economy of the Murmansk Region.
Within the framework of the project, the construction of a mining and processing plant is planned in 2025.
The investor is considering a construction site near a mothballed military airfield.
“The field, unlike most of those developed in the world, is complex.
Here we operate in three different markets – titanium dioxide, niobium tantalum and rare earths.
The President, in his instructions in early July, indicated that the country should stimulate production and demand for rare metals.
We can start production at the field only after the military unit is transferred.
On this issue, we have an instruction from Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev that the Ministry of Finance consider the possibility of financing the transfer of the military unit within the framework of the State Defense Order, ” said Andrei Trenin, CEO of Arkmineral-Resource.
The head of Arkmineral-Resource stressed that the implementation of the African project in Russia will allow to revive the entire industry associated with rare earth metals, stimulate domestic demand.
Products from the Kola Peninsula will be able to compete with the dominant Chinese supplies today.
The main external market is assumed to be the countries of Southeast Asia, and the main logistics thread is the Northern Sea Route.
As explained by Andrey Trenin, the estimated cost of products of the future GOK will fully justify transportation on the NSR.
The necessary infrastructure is already there: roads and railways, energy from the Kola NPP, a residential area nearby, communication with the ports of Murmansk and Kandalaksha is provided.
According to the regional Ministry of Arctic Development and Economy, about 650 new jobs will be created within the framework of the African project.
According to the estimates of the investor, only for the first 30 years of the development of the enterprise, tax deductions for the Murmansk region can reach 50 billion rubles.
“Now the investor and designers need to look at the risks at each possible location, to understand with whom what needs to be agreed.
Locations will be compared in search of a suitable solution.
It may be necessary to expand the railway station to provide the factory.
It will be necessary to coordinate land issues with the Ministry of Defense.
Electricity supply issues will also need to be addressed closely.
We have an agreement with the investor to support the project and in any emerging issues, the Corporation provides full support among the authorities at the regional level, including in promoting the project at the federal level, ” said Svetlana Panfilova, General Director of the Murmansk Region Development Corporation.
Photo by Roman WAR.
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The Tomtorskoye field, one of the world’s largest with reserves of over 32 million tons of ore, is also under development to boost local economies and national strategic capabilities.

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Content: Yakutia will strengthen the presence and role of Russia in the Arctic
The development of the industrial and logistics potential of Yakutia in the changed conditions was discussed at a meeting of the Federation Council Committee.
Yakutia ’ s Arctic reserves will ensure Russia ’ s breakthrough in the world market of energy, rare and precious metals.
The forecast resources of the region are estimated at almost 2 trillion cubic meters of gas and 850 million tons of oil.
And that's not the limit.
The extraction of tin with resources of more than 700 thousand tons was resumed.
Mining of rare earth metals will help our industry in import substitution.
The development of reserves is constrained by administrative barriers and an increased MET rate.
The Republic proposes from 2023 to zero tin and reduce the tax on rare earth metals, coal mining in the Arctic zone.
“We are very much looking forward to the extension of the zeroing of the tax rate on mineral extraction tax for tin mining in the Arctic.
It is necessary to reduce the mineral extraction tax on rare earth metals for the development of the unique Tomtorskoye field; and coal used for housing and communal services to exclude unplanned growth in tariffs for energy supply.
Our investment projects will ensure the employment and well-being of people in the North, strengthen the country ’ s security, and ensure Russia ’ s active presence in the Arctic.
It is necessary to stimulate the industrial development of the Arctic, and the proposed solutions are clear and effective, ” said Maxim Tereshchenko, Minister of Industry and Geology of Yakutia.
In particular, it is proposed to extend from 2023 the zero rate on mineral extraction for tin mining and reduce the tax burden from 3.5 to 1 for the extraction of rare earth metals.
The development of one of the largest in the world, the Tomtorskoye field, with its balance reserves of more than 32 million tons of ore, will create more than 400 new jobs in the region, as well as help solve import substitution issues and increase the country ’ s defense capacity.
In addition, the region proposes to reduce the MET for the extraction of coking coal in the Arctic, which is used for the needs of housing and communal services.
Today, coal mining in the Arctic zone of Yakutia is carried out by the Zyryansky Coal Mine company, which plans to increase production to 1 million tons per year.
The enterprise provides coal to boiler houses and thermal power plants of six districts of the republic, and also supplies coal to Chukotka and Magadan region.
According to experts, reducing the tax rate on coking coal produced in the Arctic for the needs of housing and utilities and energy will reduce the risks of a serious increase in tariffs for housing and utilities for residents of the north, as well as increase the competitiveness of products of companies operating in the Arctic zone of the country.
New large projects in Yakutia - the Ust-Yansky industrial cluster based on the Kyuchus gold deposit, the Tirekhtyakh tin deposit, the Aldan industrial cluster and others, after reaching full capacity, will allow Russia to strengthen its status as a world leader in the mining industry.
The head of Yakutia, Aisen Nikolaev, outlined the key points of growth and vectors in the development of Yakutia ’ s industry, geological exploration, transport arteries, which were supported by senators and all participants.
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Disputes persist around seabed mineral extraction, as regulatory bodies work to develop feasibility guidelines for deep-sea mining by the end of the year.

Interest is also increasing in Arctic and deep-ocean reserves, with Russia aiming to enhance its Arctic mining capabilities and supply chains.

Mining operations in remote or extreme environments face substantial logistical challenges, including environmental concerns and the necessity for specialized icebreaking and transport infrastructure.

Countries lacking their own Arctic fleets are entering the market via partnerships with those that have established bases or assets.

Title:

Content: Director of the National Science Center Yevhen Dykyi: With the purchase of the British icebreaker James Clark Ross, great opportunities have opened up for Ukraine.
It is a very powerful asset
07: 00, 13 October 2021
24 min.
279 Interviews
Director of the National Antarctic Scientific Center Yevgeny Dykyy in an exclusive interview with UNIAN spoke about the features of the ship "James Clark Ross", purchased by our country from the UK for $5 million, and about the prospects opened in this regard, as well as about how the global economy is being made in the World Ocean.
The purchase of the ocean icebreaker "James Clark Ross" was called a historic moment for Ukraine, because the last two decades, domestic polar explorers were without a fleet.
It was this icebreaker that delivered the first Ukrainian expedition to the South Pole 25 years ago, and now it will allow our country to return to the study of the World Ocean after a long break.
James Clark Ross is currently in the port of Odesa.
After maintenance and renaming, he will go on the first expedition under the Ukrainian flag.
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich, in the mid-90s of the last century, the UK gave Ukraine its Antarctic station Faraday, which is now called Academician Vernadsky.
A quarter of a century later, our state again bought an icebreaker from the British...
A long-standing gesture of goodwill by the British government and the current acquisition – coincidence or related events?
It's not a coincidence.
Our countries are bound by many years of Antarctic cooperation (laughs).
The first Ukrainian to set foot on the firmament of Antarctica was a native of the Poltava region Anton Omelchenko - a member of the sensational expedition of the Englishman Robert Scott to the South Pole in 1911-1912.
Omelchenko was among those who survived and returned.
He received a medal from the hands of the British Queen and a lifetime British pension.
(Omelchenko received his pension before the rupture of diplomatic relations between the USSR and Great Britain, until 1927, UNIAN).
It was "James Clark Ross", which will soon receive a new name, in 1996 delivered to the "Faraday" our first expedition, which raised the Ukrainian flag there.
So we can say: the legendary icebreaker "James Clark Ross" wanted to reunite with the equally legendary "Faraday".
These are, of course, emotions.
But, one way or another, the station is directly related to the purchase of this ship.
After all, after she became "Academician Vernadsky", we proved ourselves to the British from the best side.
In particular, they continued their scientific directions at a decent level, adding, of course, much of their work.
All this influenced the decision of the British – who to sell the icebreaker.
Were there other applicants?
Several merchants wanted to buy the James Clark Ross and convert it into a polar cruise ship, and one American company planned to use it for geological exploration.
But we were the only ones who took the icebreaker for scientific purposes, and the buyer was the state.
I think it was these components that became the decisive factor in choosing a new owner and influenced the price.
After all, $5 million is significantly lower than the market price.
There were rumors that merchants could negotiate for 8-10 million dollars.
As you can see, we got the icebreaker half the price.
How was the transition?
Admittedly, even before it began, there were some difficulties due to the delay in the allocation of funds.
The fact is that the corresponding government decree was expected on June 2, but something went wrong, and it was adopted only on July 7.
It would seem that plus or minus a month - nothing wrong, but...
The point is that a specific plan of action was agreed with the British, and we pledged to buy and bring to Ukraine an icebreaker with all its old Lloyd ’ s certificates.
And then here, in Odessa, to undergo a reclassification of the ship for the next five years.
However, the validity of the old documents ended on August 14, and the money, for obvious reasons, we transferred late - on August 19.
It turned out on the principle of the fairy tale "Cinderella" - at midnight, with the impact of the chimes, the carriage turned into a pumpkin (laughs).
In other words, due to a seemingly small delay, we received a ship with overdue "papers".
Accordingly, to go to sea, it was necessary in Denmark, where the transfer of the ship took place, in an emergency order to draw up the necessary documents for the transition.
And this is additional spending, and, as they say in Odessa, a big gamble.
At the same time, our sailors have not managed such a plan for the last 20 years.
I mean, I don't have the right experience...
However, they coped with the design very quickly: they bought the ship on August 19, and on September 18 it already went to Ukraine.
How did it show itself?
Better than we expected.
It arrived in Ukraine without calls to other ports, which confirms the good autonomy of navigation.
The ship "ran" for three weeks, without replenishing supplies...
In general, autonomy is provided for almost two months, which is of great importance for work in Antarctica.
A pleasant surprise was that the icebreaker speeds up to 14 knots over cold water!
(One knot is equal to 1,852 km / h, - UNIAN).
After all, its engines are cooled by seawater.
Accordingly, the colder it is, the more you can accelerate.
In the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the speed fell to 10 knots, but this is very, very good.
Of course, one thing is the transition from Denmark to Ukraine, through the waters of a temperate climate, another is the ice situation.
Still, it should be borne in mind that the ship is already 30 years old, and, although overhaul is not required, before going to the far south without a solid maintenance (TO) can not do.
This will have to be done in the next two months.
Whether it will be a repair or not is still unknown.
We'll make a decision when we see the prices...
You yourself said that Ukrainians have no experience working on an icebreaker of this class.
Then who moved him to Ukraine, and who will now provide his work?
I will not lie, the Ukrainian crew at the moment (at the time of our conversation - UNIAN) is not.
The ship was overtaken by the British, and our starmekh and captain were assigned to them, the presence of which was mandatory, since we were sailing under the Ukrainian flag (Ukrainian captain – Oleg Novosyl, – UNIAN).
When the foreigners leave, the life of the icebreaker will be provided by our "parking" crew.
In the future, we will decide on the recruitment of the Ukrainian team.
Let me tell you a secret – we are now negotiating with the British: we offer to work with us three or four officers who know the specific technique of James Clark Ross.
This approach is quite justified, and has already been successfully applied.
So, once it was here, in Odessa, that the history of the famous whaling flotilla "Glory" began (earlier - the German "Vikinger", which went to the USSR after the Second World War as a trophy, - UNIAN).
A Norwegian crew was hired for the first three years.
Each foreign sailor was assigned a Soviet, which was subject to training...
Of course, if the British agree to work with us, they will have to solve the issue of their registration, salaries...
When will the Ukrainian icebreaker go on its maiden voyage?
In the first season, the Antarctic summer (in Ukraine at this time - winter) will definitely work, at least in the area of the station "Academician Vernadsky".
I think we will not immediately risk making distant exits, somewhere in the Weddell Sea (the marginal sea of the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, - UNIAN) or the Ross Sea (the marginal sea of the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, - UNIAN).
We will continue to work in more familiar waters.
When we leave depends on the maintenance.
If we can do repairs at the pier, we focus on the beginning of December.
In the case of docking, we will start in mid-January 2022.
Yevgeny Alexandrovich, was it worth buying an old icebreaker, and now invest in repairs?
Is it right to buy "old rubbish"?
More than right!
Ukraine is a country that considers itself poor.
But at the same time, Italy made a similar deal with us.
Britain, in connection with the commissioning of its new powerful Antarctic ship Sir David Attenborough, sold two old ones: one was bought by us, the second by the Italians.
That is, instead of building an icebreaker from scratch for a lot of money, they also bought a used one, which became the flagship of the Italian Antarctic Fleet.
To understand the price: the new icebreaker cost the UK 200 million pounds.
How much fuel does James Clark Ross consume?
The ship operates on light diesel fuel with a minimum sulfur content.
This is due not to its design features, but to severe environmental restrictions in the Antarctic zone.
Fuel consumption depends on the speed of movement and the temperature of the sea water.
Therefore, the final cost will be clear after the first season of operation.
If we focus on the indicators when moving to Odessa, then at a speed of 14 knots, the consumption is up to 24 cubic meters per day.
This is not a good indicator, although it is not a “ceiling ”.
For example, a new ship of the British “eats ” 70 cubic meters per day.
Our ship on an economy course of 10 knots consumes about 17-18 cubic meters, and this is with the bottom still uncleaned of growths.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine got quite a solid research fleet, which was safely destroyed along with other ships, and now we rejoice one day.
Yes, in 1991 we got 36 research vessels, 12 of them ocean-going, ice-class.
They were based in Odessa.
The last of them "Ernst Krenkel", who went to us at the station "Academician Vernadsky", long ago went to scrap metal.
Everything about our scientific vessels is terribly sad stories...
I don ’ t even know which is more regrettable: those who were stolen, or rotted in cold sludge and put on metal.
Here, half a kilometer from here (from the sea station of the Odessa port, - UNIAN) near one of the berths - the remains of this fleet - "Seeker", with a perforated deck...
However, I can ’ t help but note that even the best of these lost ships were still a generation older than the James Clark Ross.
We have never had such a vessel in terms of design features and capabilities.
I will draw a clear analogy: Ukraine lost 36 cool cars "Zhiguli" and "Volga", and bought an old, but "Mercedes".
This is about the difference in class, and the advantage affects everything.
For example, on Soviet ships, huge winch coils stood directly on the deck, and in the purchased "British" they are assembled behind the engine room, from where they are controlled by a computer.
How can this ship be described in general?
Seven-deck floating marine institute with eight laboratories, which are concentrated on one "floor".
It's a research institute afloat that oversees all the changes in the ocean...
It is easier to say that he does not – does not drill the bottom.
To do this, you need the appropriate equipment, drilling platforms.
All the rest, please.
It's like that old joke, "What are you doing tonight?
All... "(laughs).
Since the country has one such vessel, we use it for environmental needs, and for marine biology, and for climatology, and hydrophysics.
Although it takes on board a team of 29 people and up to 50 scientists, there is no problem here...
And this icebreaker will last at least another 20 years.
By the way, at the time of construction, it was included in the TOP-3 scientific ships of the world, and even now, 30 years after commissioning, it is in the "top twenty" of the best.
What are the specific facilities and equipment on board?
Interesting, first of all, the sampling.
To do this, there is a large trawl winch, a small crane beam (as we say, for "dipping" devices), and a system of winches hidden inside.
There is a specificity about the car.
This is a diesel-electric vehicle.
Diesel, the main electric motor and even separately - small engines for the thruster.
All of them are duplicated, which is very important in the conditions of Antarctica...
In principle, only on one "thrusters" the ship can accelerate to six knots.
It was purchased with a full set of life-saving equipment, in particular, with four large boats.
There are also two inflatable horseshoe motor boats.
They can be lowered with a crane from a high side to the water, so as not to "chase" the icebreaker over trifles once again.
That is, he can safely stand “on the point ”, and these motors will deliver people to the desired location, for example, to the island.
There is also a powerful barge with two jet engines, which is able to “push ” (not break!) the ice itself.
Moreover, it can come to the shore, which is not suitable for mooring, where there is no berth, to lean against the nose, from where a special platform extends.
And on it the equipment will come ashore, people will descend.
Frankly speaking, when in 2018 he became the director of the NASC, he dreamed of buying such a barge for loading operations.
Among the features is an automatic positioning system, which none of the ships of our scientific fleet had.
I'll explain.
When we get to the point and begin to take samples, the ship drifts and can move several kilometers - at a depth of several kilometers, the anchor will not leave...
And for some works, the ideal purity of the experiment is required.
So, on the icebreaker - a special system tied to the satellite, in automatic mode, thrusters work.
That is, if the ship has carried, the "thrusters" automatically return it to the desired "point".
There is also a separate room for a gravimeter (a device for high-precision measurement of gravity, most often used in the search for minerals - UNIAN), which, however, we do not yet have.
By the way, a new generation of gravimeters is being developed in Ukraine and, perhaps, we will be lucky in this regard.
The room under it is calculated strictly in the center of gravity of the vessel, which is very important for gravimetry.
But this feature must be taken into account when repairing the ship, so that, God forbid, this center is not displaced.
What is the vibration level of the vessel?
Very low.
It works quietly, in particular, very good hydroacoustics.
The equipment was included in the purchase of the ship.
Moreover, one of them is so good that it is considered dual-use and falls under export control.
Fortunately, our foreign Ministry "destroyed" (laughs).
Are there any shortcomings?
Of the individual easily eliminated design disadvantages - the lack of a system of treatment of ballast water, which is to be mounted.
The fact is that in the 90s it was not mandatory, and now in Antarctica it is required.
Well, like I said, in equatorial, very warm waters, the car works worse because of cooling problems.
That is, when the sea water is plus 29-30 degrees, the speed decreases sharply.
Please tell us about the laboratories on board.
According to the contract, we bought all the equipment that is integrated with the hull of the vessel.
But the one that could be moved to a new icebreaker, the British took away.
Therefore, the laboratories on our ship are still very good rooms with tables connected with water, including its purification systems, with electricity supplied and so on.
That is, we now have a part of the installations for taking water samples, bottom sediments and powerful winches.
But we didn't buy microscopes and computers with James Clark Ross.
We will buy it soon.
How much money does it take?
500 thousand at best, a million at most.
Not in the hryvnia, of course.
It all depends on how much it costs.
The money comes from a single source.
Therefore, so: the more "devour" repair, the less will remain on the devices.
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich, ordinary taxpayers may ask themselves: why does Ukraine, as you put it, need this gembel?
Let ’ s start with the end – the reasons, as I see them, are less significant.
This is a fundamental change in the logistics of the Akademik Vernadsky station.
For the last 20 years, since the last Ernst Krenkel voyage, we have been totally dependent on the freight of foreign ships.
Every year I had to sign a contract with someone.
Until 2014, they chartered a Russian ship, but then, for obvious reasons, this became impossible.
And the whistleblower began – each time they agreed with different courts: the Chileans, the Argentines.
The fact is that the logistics market in Antarctica is still quite small - the demand is much higher than the supply.
That is, the ships that can be chartered are very few.
Many countries are now trying to enter Antarctica.
This is a great opportunity, a powerful investment.
For example, the Turks in three years went from the first expedition to their station, which is currently being built from scratch - 300 km south of us.
In general, due to the great demand, a market appeared - countries that have their own Arctic stations, but do not have a fleet.
Accordingly, renting a steamboat is quite expensive, it is like bargaining when buying water in the desert...
In addition, each time with a trip to Vernadsky, it was necessary to get into a very narrow time window - only 3 months, when the ice situation around our station is acceptable.
But with the purchase of James Clark Ross, both of these problems are resolved.
First of all, we have our own ship.
Secondly, it in the normal mode calmly overcomes ice with a thickness of up to one meter, and is able to break through, if necessary, a 4-meter block.
This, of course, involves terrible fuel consumption, but it is worth it...
In other words, the station becomes available almost year-round.
This means a different mode of operation, as for example, at the American station “Palmer ”, where exactly once every two months comes their icebreaker.
And you do not need to manage, as we did before, once a year to bring everything to Vernadsky - both people and supplies...
Moreover, if there is an emergency at the station, it is impossible to evacuate a person.
Did it happen?
In 2018, we had an urgent medical evacuation of biologist Nikolai Veselsky - purulent appendicitis.
We were just lucky to have an American icebreaker near the Palmer, 54 km away.
He was immediately "ripped off" from the place, drove to us, took the patient on board with our doctor and delivered to the island of King George located 450 kilometers (there is a Chilean Antarctic base "Frey" - UNIAN).
This is the nearest airport.
I note that a person was transported there for 24 hours.
By that time, a Chilean military plane with a surgeon on board had already arrived on the island.
They took Nicholas to the mainland...
Fortunately, everything worked out, now he heads the Natural History Museum in Zhytomyr (smiles).
What is characteristic: not a penny of money was requested from us for the evacuation.
This is a kind of polar code: rescue operations are sacred, they do not take money for it.
We only started paying when our patient ended up in an ordinary civilian hospital on the mainland.
Now, with the purchase of an icebreaker, we not only cease to be dependent in this regard, but also will be able to help others...
What other important role can the icebreaker play for our country?
There is such a science of oceanography, which includes a lot of sections - marine geology, marine biology, resource exploration and hydrophysics - the study of currents that determine the entire climate, including here...
There are many other interesting meaningful things, and now we can all be actively involved.
It should be understood that today the World Ocean is a place where a large global economy is being made.
Let me give you two most recent examples.
Exactly two years ago, Norwegian company Aker BioMarine built a new krill trawler.
It's three times the size of James Clark Ross.
The trawler cost a considerable amount - about 180 million euros.
But as soon as the Norwegians placed their shares on the stock exchange, they immediately attracted investments of a billion, because the krill business is very profitable.
A second example that few people know about.
Next year the revolution of the entire world market of gadgets is coming.
The fact is that for their production requires a certain amount of rare earth metals.
But there are very few rare earth deposits on the planet, and 80 percent of the deposits are concentrated in several "points" that are under the control of the People's Republic of China.
That is, at present, the PRC really holds the rare earth market, and, accordingly, regulates the gadget market for the whole world.
But the Japanese have broken this system.
In their economic zone, they found that rare-earth metals are present in clay sediments.
At the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, at depths of 4 km and more.
And these rare earths are enough to commercially justify their enrichment.
Japan has already passed the stage of relevant scientific research, and next year launches the first floating plant for the processing of bottom sediments.
I note, the Japanese began with exploration, research on such an icebreaker as the James Clark Ross...
Do you understand the prospects?
And for twenty years we fell out of one of the key directions of modern world science!
After all, the countries of the first world are defined by three main markers – space, marine and polar research.
For the past two decades, Ukraine has only stayed at the Vernadsky station.
Of course, our individual scientists sometimes broke through as part of international consortia on foreign ships.
But we joked among ourselves, they say, we are working in a situation where there is a terrible muzzle and a pirate flag, and a companion with a caravel is still looking for (laughs).
The caravan has finally arrived.
And as soon as it was bought, we began to receive offers from a number of countries.
In other words, the icebreaker is a very powerful asset.
Who is the official ship owner?
In fact, the owner is the people of Ukraine, the state, and we are the managers of the property.
From the point of view of the law of the sea, the shipowner is the National Antarctic Science Center.
What will be the new name of the flagship of our Antarctic fleet?
We will find out almost simultaneously with you at the end of October.
The fact is that the Antarctic Center has carried out preparatory work.
Through social networks, we have collected proposals for the name, brought together almost all the options in one table.
Excluded, of course, those that were offered explicitly for the sake of laughter, for example, "Chernobyl penguin"...
And all fairly serious sent to the Office of the President, where they will make a decision (in scientific circles there are rumors that scientists would very much like the name to be associated with Academician Vernadsky, for example, "Noosphere" - UNIAN).
How many countries are represented in Antarctica?
Some kind of Antarctic pool is thirty.
These are the ones that have year-round stations.
In total, with countries that have just begun to build there, or who have a summer base, or simply make regular visits, then 54.
What do you remember most about visiting this continent?
The moment when you get into the Southern Ocean, which is already officially recognized as a separate fifth ocean.
Its northern shore is the current, the Antarctic convergence.
It would seem that he is not seen...
Here, the ship goes on the water of the same color, then for a few hours falls into a strip of very thick fog, comes out of it, and the water is already different, absolutely cold, crystal clear.
Fog - evaporations that are formed due to the temperature difference in the place where different water masses come into contact.
And you realize that not only came out of the fog, but you are already in another ocean...
Of course, I remember the first iceberg I saw, the first whale...
The color gamut is striking.
Imagine a whole world painted without warm colors: red, yellow, green...
There are only cold colors - from white to blue, with all kinds of transitions: blue, turquoise, azure...
It's not even 50, but 150 shades!
There is also a dark gamma: from black to dark brown, yes, the red beak of a penguin will slip somewhere...
The most powerful impression is the effect of the Garden of Eden.
There grew entire generations of birds and animals, which only scientists or tourists saw from people and then – under strict supervision.
This animal does not know that a two-legged monkey (man) can carry a threat.
Therefore, no one in front of you retreats, does not run away.
The same sea cat, who does not want to give way, as if says: "We live here, and you are guests...".
Larisa Kozova
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Ukraine, for example, acquired an icebreaker at half the market price and is outfitting it for scientific and logistical expeditions.

New generations of mineral exploration technologies such as gravimeters are being developed to enhance extraction and discovery in challenging environments.

China has expressed willingness to support mineral extraction in Afghanistan, signaling broader geopolitical competition around rare earths.

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Content: Partners news
Listen to the news
China to support Taliban for metals
China may start cooperation with Taliban for use of rare earth metals
Photo by Thomas Peter / Reuters
China may begin to cooperate with the terrorist group “Taliban ” (banned in Russia) and try to use rare earth metals in Afghanistan.
This is reported by CNBC.
Analysts estimate that the value of Afghanistan ’ s rare earth reserves in 2020 was between $1 trillion and $3 trillion.
Shamaila Khan, director of debt obligations for developing countries at AllianceBernstein, said Taliban militants could start exploiting minerals, which would become a “very dangerous problem for the world. ”
She also added that the international community will have to put pressure on China if it wants to ally itself with the Taliban.
Hours after the Taliban seized Kabul, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chuning said Beijing was ready for “friendly cooperation with Afghanistan. ”
According to her, China respects the sovereignty and will of all factions in the country, and also maintains contact with the Afghan Taliban, which plays a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the Afghan problem.
The Taliban have “repeatedly ” stated that they“ hope for China ’ s participation in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, ” Hua added.
In late July, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the Afghan Taliban ’ s political committee.
Chinese media say there is no reason to believe that China will send troops into Afghanistan.
However, the country can “contribute to post-war reconstruction and development ” by promoting projects under China ’ s Belt and Road Initiative, an infrastructure investment plan to build rail, road, sea and other routes from China to Central Asia, Africa and Europe.
Rare earth metals, which is rich in Afghanistan, are commonly used in the production of high-tech devices, cars, green energy and defense industries.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, about 35 percent of the world ’ s rare earth reserves are in China, making it the largest supplier in the global market.
On August 15, the Taliban entered Kabul and announced that they were in control of the entire territory of Afghanistan.
The president left the country, explaining this with a desire to avoid bloodshed.
Only what is important to you is in the “Tape of the Day ” in Telegram.
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European industries are wary of overreliance on Chinese and Russian rare earth metals, given risks to supply chains and defense industries.

Title:

Content: Bloomberg: the supply of rare earth metals from China through Russia may threaten the production of weapons in the EU
The most vulnerable link in the production of weapons for supplies to Ukraine is the supply of rare earth metals from China through Russia, Bloomberg reported.
According to the publication, the volume of transportation of Chinese rare earth metals by Russian railways has more than doubled in the nine months of 2022.
According to Bloomberg, citing data from the European Union, for the first nine months of 2022, the volume of Chinese rare earth metals transported through Russia amounted to 36 thousand tons, which is more than twice more than in the same period of 2021.
In September 2022, the value of these metals rose to $408 million, which is almost 4 / 5 more than in September 2021.
According to Bloomberg, China supplies about 90% of rare earth metals to the EU.
At the same time, the delivery of these metals through Russia is the fastest way to transport them from China to the EU.
Alternative transport corridors have limited capacity, are also less equipped and cannot fully cover the necessary traffic volumes.
According to the expectations of the publication, in the case of blocking traffic from Moscow, European importers will be forced to increase logistics costs.
Also, analysts of the agency believe that European economies can be seriously affected if their access to rare earth metals is difficult.
At the same time, the EU believes that at the moment there are no possible threats to transportation through Russia, since this is not subject to sanctions.
Rare earth metals are a group of elements that consists of scandium, yttrium and lanthanides (cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium).
They are used in radio electronics, nuclear engineering, instrument making, mechanical engineering, metallurgy and chemical industry.
Russia and China manage nearly two-thirds of the existing mines, according to Bloomberg.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the EU is 98% dependent on China for green technologies, including the supply of rare earth elements, but intends to overcome this “monopoly ”.
Olesya Pavlenko
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The global race for rare earth minerals is intensifying, with nations and corporations making strategic investments and partnerships to secure future access.

There is a global race among financiers and corporations to search for and exploit rare metals in Greenland.

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Content: Advertisement
Economics.
A race between financiers around the world to search for this substance in Greenland.
Interesting details!
10-08-2022 | 00: 49
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CNN reports that some of the world ’ s wealthiest people are funding large treasure hunts using helicopters and signal transmitters on Greenland ’ s west coast.
The climate crisis is causing Greenland ’ s ice to melt at unprecedented rates, ironically creating an opportunity for investors and mining companies looking for a treasure trove of important minerals capable of powering clean energy transitions.
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Search for minerals in Greenland
Many billionaires, including Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates, are betting that what lies beneath the surface of the hills and valleys of Disco Island and Greenland ’ s Noswak Peninsula are important enough minerals to power millions of electric vehicles.
Speaking to CNN, Kobold Metals CEO Kurt House said: “We are looking for a deposition that will be the largest or second largest nickel and cobalt deposition in the world. ”
The disappearance of Arctic ice – both on land and in the ocean – highlights a unique dichotomy: Greenland is the zero point for the effects of climate change, but it could also be the zero point for the search for the minerals needed to provide solutions to this crisis.
For their part, representatives of Kobold Metals, a California-based mineral exploration company, said the billionaires ’ club is supporting the company financially.
Bezos, Gates and Bloomberg did not respond to requests from CNN for comment on the news, and Kobold Metals is partnering with Bluejay Mining to find precious and rare metals in Greenland, which are essential for building the electric vehicles and huge batteries needed to store renewable energy.
The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland said Greenland could be a hot spot for coal, copper, gold, rare earth elements and zinc.
The Greenland government has conducted several assessments on ice-free land and is aware of the country ’ s “ability to diversify the national economy through mineral extraction, ” the agency said.
(Arabic Post)
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Kobold Metals CEO Kurt House told CNN the company is seeking a deposition in Greenland that could be the world's largest or second-largest for nickel and cobalt.

A Canadian company has received a license to mine rare metals in Greenland.

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Content: A Canadian company has been granted a license to mine rare metals in Greenland.
© AP Photo / David Goldman Greenland ice melt August 3, 2017
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Toronto ’ s New Performance Materials, one of the few rare earth metal processors outside China, has obtained an exploration license in Greenland from Hudson Resources in Vancouver (Canada).
Washington - Sputnik.
“Through a special-purpose entity, NEO plans to explore and develop the Surfertog project to further diversify its global sources of rare earth ore and expand the supply chains that feed the company ’ s rare earth ore separation facility in Estonia, ” it said in a statement.
NEO CEO Constantine Karianopoulos told the New York Times that his goal was to reduce the company ’ s exposure to volatile global crude prices.
NEO buys semi-processed raw materials from Russia, the United States and Australia.
"Collects Rare Minerals"...
China enters the world of "space mining" with the launch of the first robot...
A picture.
The Surftog Carbonatite complex contains mineral deposits rich in neodymium and praseodymium, which are essential components of the rare earth permanent magnet used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, high-efficiency electric motors and pumps that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
NEO also plans to build a new permanent magnet manufacturing plant in Estonia to supply European manufacturers of electric and hybrid vehicles, wind turbines, and energy-efficient electric motors and pumps, the statement said.
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NEO CEO Constantine Karianopoulos told the New York Times that his aim is to reduce exposure to volatile global crude prices by investing in these minerals.

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Content: A Canadian company has been granted a license to mine rare metals in Greenland.
© AP Photo / David Goldman Greenland ice melt August 3, 2017
Follow us via
Toronto ’ s New Performance Materials, one of the few rare earth metal processors outside China, has obtained an exploration license in Greenland from Hudson Resources in Vancouver (Canada).
Washington - Sputnik.
“Through a special-purpose entity, NEO plans to explore and develop the Surfertog project to further diversify its global sources of rare earth ore and expand the supply chains that feed the company ’ s rare earth ore separation facility in Estonia, ” it said in a statement.
NEO CEO Constantine Karianopoulos told the New York Times that his goal was to reduce the company ’ s exposure to volatile global crude prices.
NEO buys semi-processed raw materials from Russia, the United States and Australia.
"Collects Rare Minerals"...
China enters the world of "space mining" with the launch of the first robot...
A picture.
The Surftog Carbonatite complex contains mineral deposits rich in neodymium and praseodymium, which are essential components of the rare earth permanent magnet used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, high-efficiency electric motors and pumps that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
NEO also plans to build a new permanent magnet manufacturing plant in Estonia to supply European manufacturers of electric and hybrid vehicles, wind turbines, and energy-efficient electric motors and pumps, the statement said.
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Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos have invested $15 million to search for electric car metals in Greenland, partnering with Bluejay and seeing significant potential in the Disko project.

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Content: Science and Technology
Gates and Bezos pay $15 million to search for metals for electric cars
Thanks for reading the news about technology: Gates and Bezos pay $15 million to search for metals for electric cars and now with the details of the news
KoBold Metals, a mineral exploration company backed by Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and founder of Bridgewater Associates, Ray Dalio, has entered into a joint venture with London-based Bluejay Mining to search for nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum used in electric vehicles in Greenland.
KoBold will spend about $15 million through 2024 to help Bluejay locate natural resources as part of the Disko-Nuussuaq project in mid-western Greenland.
Kurt House, CEO of Coppold, said: “The Disco area has seen a rare convergence of events in Earth ’ s history that could have led to the formation of world-class battery mineral deposits.
“We are excited to invest in Greenland ’ s emerging mineral sector and partner with Bluejay in light of its strong track record in Greenland and the outstanding potential of the Disko project. ”
Copper, nickel, cobalt and lithium are essential metals needed to produce electric vehicle batteries, and as a result, nickel demand growth from electric vehicles is expected to increase 14 times between 2030.
About 50% of the world ’ s cobalt, another major material for the manufacture of electric vehicles, is found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and KoBold uses artificial intelligence, machinery and computing to search for raw materials for electric vehicles (EVs).
Bo Stensgaard, CEO of Bluejay, said: “We are delighted to have a partner at the Tech Innovation Summit for New Exploration Methods, backed by some of the world ’ s most successful investors.
In addition, Bluejay retains the ability to self-finance to maintain 49% ownership through production, giving external public investors the opportunity to invest alongside a private investment entity of this size.
You may also read.

The Democratic Republic of Congo possesses some of the world’s highest purity copper but faces violent ethnic conflict hindering exploitation.

Title:

Content: Why are countries competing so hard for deep sea mining?
Jamaica will host international talks from Monday to discuss several issues, most notably the controversial issue of allowing deep sea mining.
This comes after a two-year ban on such activities ended due to the failure of states to agree on new regulations.
Scientists fear a possible "scramble" for precious metals in the deep ocean could have dire consequences for marine life.
But proponents argue that these minerals are necessary to meet global demand for green technology, which preserves the environment.
The controversy began in 2021 when the tiny Pacific island of Nauru formally applied to the United Nations International Seabed Authority, which oversees mining in international waters, for a commercial licence to start deep-sea mining.
The move prompted a provision to set a two-year deadline for the agency to decide on the application, despite minimal regulations in place.
States have been meeting since then in an effort to finalize rules on environmental control and property sharing, but the efforts have not yielded any success.
Kingston, Jamaica, is currently hosting a three-week meeting for discussions.
It comes at a time of growing objections to commercial deep-sea mining aimed at collecting rocks containing precious metals.
Some 200 countries, including Switzerland, Spain and Germany, are calling for a halt or suspension due to environmental concerns and are now expected to be given a vote on a new ban next month.
Although the UK has not called for a new ban, a government spokesman told the BBC: "The UK will maintain its precautionary position of not supporting the issuance of any exploration licences until there is sufficient scientific evidence on the potential impact on deep-sea ecosystems."
Marine scientists have raised concerns about limited deep-ocean research to study the animals and plants that live there, and therefore the effects that deep-sea mining could have.
Experts say the technology potentially used to collect minerals from the seabed could create significant noise and light pollution, as well as release plumes of sediment that pose a risk of choking food-leaching species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Katherine Wheeler, director of global policy at charity Fauna & Flora, said: “We must not let this be a new drive to raise wealth, to further destroy our planet without actually realizing what we are doing. ”
Scientists recently announced that more than 5,000 different animals have been found in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean, a key area for future mining activities.
The Clarion-Clipperton Zone and other areas ripe for mining, such as the so-called Pacific Ocean crust, are unique environments with hydrothermal vents, underwater mountains and vast plains up to 6,500 meters below the surface of the water.
Scientists believe they can support uniquely adapted species of organisms, the likes of which are not found anywhere else in the world.
Not all States are categorically opposed to such activities, and the International Seabed Authority has already issued 31 exploration contracts to companies wishing to search the deep ocean, while 14 States, including China, Russia, India, the United Kingdom, France and Japan, support such activity.
The Authority only permits the issuance of exploration contracts in international waters, and States are free to conduct exploration in their national waters.
Last month, Norway controversially opened up areas in the Greenland Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea covering 280,000 square kilometers for mining companies to apply for licences.
Oil and Energy Minister Terje Asland said in a statement: "We need minerals to succeed in the green transition."
Metal Company, which partners with three Pacific Island States -- the Republic of Nauru, the Republic of Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga -- intends to proceed with applications.
The company said the deep sea offers a promising source of metals such as copper, cobalt and nickel, which are needed for technologies such as mobile phones, wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries.
Nick Pickens, director of global mining research at Wood Mackenzie, told the BBC that many of these minerals are relatively available on Earth but difficult to access.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, which has some of the highest purity copper grades in the world, is facing violent ethnic conflict in parts of the country.
There are also a limited number of refining sites involved in the conversion of metals from their raw form to useful components.
Pickens said: “Deep sea mining does not necessarily solve any of these issues.
There are still geopolitical challenges. ”

Rare earth minerals are crucial for high-tech industries, such as smartphones, electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels.

Title:

Content: Wednesday 16 March 2022
Australia seeks to expand rare earth processing to avoid China
SYDNEY, Australia, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government on Wednesday announced a plan to expand the country's processing of rare earths, used in high-tech industries, with the aim of circumventing its heavy dependence on China.
“China currently dominates 70 to 80 percent of its production and continues to entrench itself in supply chains.
Australian Energy Minister Angus Taylor said in a statement that the initiative was designed to address this dominance.
Under the plan, Australia will allocate 243 million Australian dollars (175 million US dollars or 160 million euros) to four rare land remediation projects.
Australia has a large amount of rare earth metals, but it does not have the capacity to process them, mainly because China does so at low cost, an area that has worried the United States since Beijing threatened in 2019 to ban exports of these resources during the trade war between the two powers.
The strengthening of the rare earth and metals sector will allow Australia to have a greater presence in supply chains linked to the manufacture of smartphones, rechargeable batteries, computers, solar panels, electric vehicles, defence equipment and high technology.
Nearly half of the money announced today will go to building facilities to improve materials for nickel, manganese and cobalt batteries in the Western Australia region, run by Pure Battery Technologies ’ PCam Centre, in partnership with Poseidon Nickel.
Separately on Wednesday, the Australian government announced another 250 Australian dollars (about 180 million US dollars or 164 million euros) fund to accelerate investment in projects that strengthen the country's leadership in the vital minerals sector.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: “The world has become a more uncertain place and we want to make sure Australia is a safe partner for local and global businesses that need the vital minerals we have here. ”
Australia, the world's largest producer of lithium and the second largest producer of zirconium, has one of the world's largest reserves of bio-minerals used in advanced technologies, such as aerospace, defense and telecommunications.
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Countries are competing for access to critical minerals, intensifying interest following the expiration of an international ban on deep-sea mining.

The deep sea is seen as a promising source of copper, cobalt, and nickel for new technologies.

Fauna & Flora’s Katherine Wheeler cautioned that pursuit of these minerals must consider environmental consequences.

Australia has allocated 243 million Australian dollars to four rare earth remediation projects, nearly half of which will go to Western Australia for battery material processing facilities by Pure Battery Technologies and Poseidon Nickel.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison emphasized the need for secure supply chains for vital minerals.

Australia has vast rare earth reserves but currently lacks processing capacity, which is dominated by China, accounting for 70–80% of production, raising US concerns after China threatened export bans in 2019.

Title:

Content: Wednesday 16 March 2022
Australia Expands Rare Earth Processing to Avoid China
Sydney, Australia, March 16 The Australian government on Wednesday announced a plan to expand rare earth processing used by the high-tech industry to circumvent dependence on China.
“China currently accounts for 70-80% of production and continues to integrate into the supply chain.
This initiative is designed to address this hegemony. ”
Australian Energy Minister Angus Taylor said in a statement.
Under the plan, Australia will allocate A $243 million ($175 million or 160 million euros) to four rare earth remediation projects.
Australia has a large amount of rare earth metals, but does not have the capacity to process them because China does so at low cost.
This is an area of concern for the United States since Beijing threatened to ban the export of these resources during the trade war between the two countries in 2019.
The revival of critical metals and the rare earth sector will allow Australia to gain a greater presence in the supply chain related to the manufacture of smartphones, rechargeable batteries, computers, solar panels, electric vehicles, defence and advanced equipment.
Nearly half of the money announced today will be used to build a nickel, manganese and cobalt battery material refining facility in the Western Australian region operated by Pure Battery Technologies ’ PCAM Centre in collaboration with Poseidon Nickel.
Separately on Wednesday, the Australian government announced another 250 Australian dollars (about 180 million dollars or 164 million euros) fund to accelerate investment in projects that strengthen the country's leadership in the vital minerals sector.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: “The world has become a more uncertain place and we want Australia to be a safe partner for local and global companies that need our important minerals. ”
Australia, the world's largest producer of lithium and the second largest producer of zirconium, has the world's largest large mineral reserves used in advanced technologies such as aerospace, defense and telecommunications.

New processing initiatives are thus being launched to circumvent reliance on China.

Discoveries of rare earth deposits, such as in the EU and around Kiruna iron mine, are being developed, but extraction could take up to 10–15 years.

Title:

Content: Largest rare earth deposits found in EU
Friday ، 13 January 2023 03: 30 PM
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A Swedish mining company says it has found the largest rare earth deposits in the European Union in the far north of the country, which accounts for a large part of European needs, according to the Spanish newspaper Portavolio.
The discovery will be a major factor in the production of electric vehicles and wind turbines.
This first discovery of the deposits, named Per Geijer, suggests that they contain 585 million tons of ore, where apatite containing phosphorus and other rare elements are found.
Lounges have been set up to access the deposits 700 metres from the Kiruna iron mine to verify depth and detail, and it is expected to wait a year or two to see when these reserves can start to be exploited, which at current rates will take 10 or 15 years.
Swedish Energy and Industry Minister Ebba Bosch said the discovery "shows that there are important results of the green transition" and will help the EU bloc reduce its dependence on other countries for these essential minerals for electricity.
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Extraction and refining of rare earth minerals pose technical and environmental challenges, as highlighted by experts, due to toxicity and specialized required technology.

Title:

Content: Expert: Algeria is sleeping on a precious treasure
Money and Business
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Economist Abdelkader Soleimani considered that Algeria sleeps on an "inexhaustible treasure" and a considerable wealth, where there are 38 classical minerals on its soil, along with a significant stockpile of rare metals.
He pointed out that these minerals or dust, although important, require exploitation.
He stressed the need to control the technology of extraction and refining because they are toxic materials and control the tracks of mining, any conversion from dust to alloys, with the need for a formative system, a general orientation and a clear economic vision.
Economist Abdelkader Soleimani said in a statement to Al-Khobar: "It is beautiful that Algeria has an important stock of rare earth or minerals, whether the reserve is in the range of 10 or 20 percent, because there are no studies and accurate surveys in the field, but the valuation of such minerals will require control of extraction and refining technology, as they are toxic materials as well as mining."
The expert pointed out that rare earth metals or rare earth elements as defined by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, are a group of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically scandium, etrium, and lanthanides, and rare earths have become an important material in green manufacturing, but the problem lies in the difficulty of extraction and processing, especially as they are very polluted to nature, which requires control of technology and qualified labor. and refining. ”
The expert pointed out that rare earth or rare earth has returned to the forefront, especially with the statement of French President Emmanuel Macron on the possibility of cooperation between Algeria and France in the development of these minerals or rare earth, adding that "the world is witnessing a huge technological revolution and means of communication such as phones, for example, when we take the iPhone, we find that it contains eight rare metals. The exploitation and development of the exploitation of these minerals, and the intensification of competition between China, America and Britain in particular, makes them important. ”
Soleimani noted in the same context, "The trade of rare earth represents about $1.5 billion, but its importance lies in its multiple and diverse uses, including military, technological and electric vehicles.
It is noted that minerals are present in most countries, but the refining and conversion process is especially present in China, because exploiting them requires heavy and modern equipment and very sophisticated technological means, the huge capacity of mining in China makes it control 85% of the production and trade of rare soil oxide and 90% of magnetic materials.
On the other hand, the economist stressed that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has already stressed the value of natural resources, pointing out the importance of adopting accurate studies and surveys to determine the actual capacities, whether in terms of stocks or reserves, to ensure attracting investments in the field, with the adoption of a vision to ensure a surplus of value, with the establishment of factories for refining, conversion and mining. For example, the amount of iron converted is sold at about $500 per ton, for example, that is, ensure the production of wealth, employ labor, activate a handling network and achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, with the achievement of metal poles in mining production and conversion.
The expert stressed the need for training and qualification in the field of mining, while establishing partnerships with countries experienced in the field, whether for China, South Africa or others, and avoiding the export or sale of raw materials.
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International corporations and countries are actively investing in Greenland’s mineral potential, motivated by technological demand and geopolitical competition.

Greenland’s parliament has passed a bill banning exploration of uranium and other radioactive deposits, halting rare earth development at Greenland’s southern tip.

Title:

Content: Greenland ban on uranium mining prevents Chinese companies from expanding rare earths
November 13, 2021 17: 33
Eastern Network Television
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As part of its Arctic strategy, China has supported the mining of rare earths in Greenland by Australia ’ s Greenland Minerals, a Chinese-owned subsidiary of Shenghe Resources, through the Belt and Road Initiative.
However, Greenland ’ s parliament passed a new law banning uranium mining and halting the development of rare earth deposits at Kuannersuit, the southern tip of Greenland.
China's rare earth mining accounts for more than 70% of the global mining volume, and China's rare earth magnetic processing volume accounts for 90% of the global processing volume.
Sungho Resources, one of the world ’ s largest producers of rare earth materials, acquired a 12.5% stake in Greenland Minerals in 2016, making it the largest shareholder in the latter.
Guanast in southern Greenland is home to the world ’ s second-largest reserves of rare earths and uranium after China, accounting for 10% of the world ’ s rare earth production.
Since former US President Donald Trump proposed the idea of buying Greenland in 2019, the rich rare earth resources of Guanaster in southern Greenland have attracted attention.
Greenland ’ s local parliament was elected early on April 6. In the end, the pro-environmental left-wing Inuit Ataqatigiit party won the election, and its leader, Mute Egede, became the new prime minister.
He declared that he would do everything in his power to stop the Guanast Rare Earth Mine project.
In response, Greenland ’ s parliament has passed a new bill aimed at banning exploration of uranium deposits, as well as other radioactive deposits such as thorium, and halting the development of rare earth deposits at the southern tip of Greenland.

What has Greenland's new prime minister Mute Egede pledged to do regarding Kuannersuit rare earth mining?

The government revoked a Chinese mining company’s iron ore license near Nuuk due to non-payment and inactivity.

Title:

Content: The government of Greenland, which is located in the Arctic, said on Monday it had revoked the license of a Chinese mining company to mine an iron ore deposit near the capital, Nuuk.
The move has dealt a blow to efforts by Chinese companies to gain a foothold in the resource-rich Arctic region.
China ’ s General Nice took control of the Isua mine in 2015, replacing bankrupt London Mining.
Junan became the first Chinese company to acquire mining rights in Greenland.
Greenland is an autonomous region of Denmark and is rich in minerals.
As a result of the warming climate, waterways have been opened, allowing the resources of the Arctic Island to be developed and utilized.
The Greenland government pointed out that the mine was idle and Junan did not pay the agreed guarantee and therefore withdrew its license.
Once Junan returns the license, Greenland will re-offer it to interested companies.
At present, the government of Greenland has asked Junan to return all the geological data, pay the remaining 1.5 million Danish kroner (about $226,000) of the deposit, and clean up the mine.
The London mine, which was granted mining rights in 2013, initially planned to employ 2,000 Chinese workers to mine, with a goal of supplying about 15 million tonnes of iron ore to China each year.
Greenland banned uranium mining this year, blocking mining in the Kuannersuit region, one of the world ’ s largest rare earth mines and partly owned by a Chinese company.
Junan tried to buy an abandoned naval base in Greenland from Denmark in 2016, but sources told Reuters at the time that the Danish authorities had rejected the proposal for security reasons.
# Greenland # Junan # Mining # China # Mining

What has Greenland done to undermine Chinese efforts to establish a foothold in the Arctic region?

Tanbreez Mining plans to commence rare earth mining in Greenland next year, with additional plans for a processing plant in Europe.

Title:

Content: Greenland to mine rare earths in 2024 | Economic Horizontal | DW | 30.07.2023
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Greenland to mine rare earths in 2024
According to the German "Economic Weekly" reported that a mining company has obtained permission from the Greenland government to mine rare earths on the island.
The company said production could begin next year.
Tanbreez Mining, a mining company, plans to mine rare earths in Greenland next year, according to the Economic Weekly.
“We can start production next year, ” said Greg Barnes, a geologist and owner of the company. Greenland ’ s deputy minister for minerals confirmed to the journal that a mining licence had been issued.
Barnes said the Tanbreez mine "contains more than half of the world's rare earth resources" and has 19 million tons of rare earth oxides.
Of these, 30% are highly favored heavy rare earth elements.
Rare earth contains a total of 17 kinds of metal elements, the properties of each metal are different.
Each metal has a unique industrial value.
Some of them are irreplaceable.
They are used, for example, in the manufacture of electric vehicles or wind turbines.
Last year, about two-thirds of Germany ’ s rare earths came from China. Mining such as rare earths is difficult and often harmful to the environment, as rare earths are often associated with iron ore, and the chemical process of refining often requires the use of acidic substances.
What is Rare Earth?
Barnes, owner of Tanbreez Mining, told Economic Weekly that to start mining for rare earths in Greenland, a factory would be needed to separate rare earths from heterosexual rocks.
Currently there are only such factories in Russia and China.
But one such plant will be built in the United States in the coming months.
There are also plans to build a factory in Europe.
Thanks to technological advances, the equipment that separates rare earths currently costs only $40 million.
According to Barnes, China paid 1.7 billion U.S. dollars for the equipment 13 years ago.
In January, Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB announced the discovery of Europe ’ s largest rare earth deposit to date.
But the company said it would take 10-15 years for the rare earth mine, located in Kiruna in northern Sweden, to be available to the market.
EU Plans to Diversify Rare Earth Supply Chain
(Agence France-Presse, Economic Weekly)
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What company has obtained permission to extract Greenland's rare earths?

Rare earths are comprised of 17 different metal elements, each with distinct properties.

Former US President Donald Trump expressed interest in buying Greenland, but Greenland’s government maintains that the island is not for sale and belongs to its people.

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Warming Frontline / Rescue Greenland Ice Melting for Hydroelectric Power
In 1962, an American oil company ran a magazine ad with the headline: “We provide enough energy to melt 7 million metric tons of glaciers every day. ”
In response to climate shocks, Greenland categorically rejects oil and gas development.
In response to global warming, China and Russia jointly announced at the beginning of the year that they would develop Arctic routes as "polar silk roads"; in order to counter China and Russia, the United States announced the establishment of an "Arctic ambassador" for the first time in August this year.
Greenland ’ s rare minerals and metals also attract the world ’ s richest people.
Bill Gates and Bezos also invested in the development of Greenland ’ s nickel and cobalt – key elements for making electric car batteries – in order to create a “greener world, ” ignoring the permanent damage that mining has done to Greenland ’ s ecology.
The world is preoccupied with Greenland, but few people have asked their opinion.
Karina Serrano, a teacher at Nasak ’ s food school, said that even former US President Donald Trump has said that he wants to buy Greenland, but that Greenland belongs to the people and “will not be sold. ”
After 50 years of drilling by various countries, Greenland issued a blockbuster statement last July: “Stop issuing new oil and gas exploration licenses ” and“ Future belongs to renewable energy ”.
Kalista, Greenland's environment minister.
Lund said that it will use the melting of ice caused by warming to strengthen hydroelectric power, replacing fossil fuels, and the proportion of renewable energy power generation in the future can reach 90%.
Renewable energy accounts for 72% of Greenland ’ s electricity generation, and more than half relies on hydropower.
This achievement took 30 years; in addition to the fact that the climate and terrain are so traumatic, Pierre Vassard, director of Greenland Energy, revealed that “the permafrost layer defrosts with heating, and it is more difficult to locate power towers and power plants ”. Greenland is expected to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2030.
Sebastian Simonsen, a senior researcher at the Danish University of Science and Technology, said that Arctic melting could bring benefits, “not sure it ’ s a good change, but it ’ s always a decision to make. ”
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Renewable energy supplies 72% of Greenland’s electricity, primarily from hydropower.

China is considered to have an early lead in rare earth processing and global key metal supply chains, bolstered by the Belt and Road Initiative.

Title:

Content: Key Metal Wars │ From Mineral Investment to Monopoly Mineral Processing China ’ s Early Lead?
Author: Law Baoxi
Published: Updated:
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), of the 17 minerals, the most critical will be lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, graphite and rare earth.
Some experts believe that in addition to mastering a large number of rare earth resources, China also monopolizes the processing of minerals, making China in the global competition for key metals resources, master more advantages than other countries.
This is the second installment in the "Critical Metal Warfare" series.
When it comes to China's advantages in this regard, many people may think of rare earth (Rare-Earth Element, REE) for the first time. Rare earth is a very precious strategic resource, from chemicals, electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy, medicine, to the military field, etc., are indispensable materials.
China has the largest reserves and production of rare earth resources in the world. In 2020, the global rare earth reserves were 120 million tons, and China's rare earth proved reserves reached 44 million tons, ranking first in the world.
In the past decade, China has actively mined and effectively deployed the rare earth industry, and with the continuous strengthening of the “Belt and Road ” initiative in recent years, it has grasped many important mineral mining rights in Africa, and has further established itself as a rare earth power.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, although China has only 36% of the world's rare earth reserves, its refined metal exports account for 70% of the world's total; and in rare earth processing and treatment, China is the leading position.
In the next few decades, with the development of renewable energy, electric vehicles and 5G industries, the demand for rare earths will continue to double, and China ’ s voice will be even more powerful.
The rare earth industry has merged all rare earth mining and smelting separation enterprises into two major groups. China Rare Earth Group Co., Ltd. was established in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province in December last year. (Xinhua News Agency)
In addition, in order to ensure the relevant advantageous position, China recently announced the establishment of “China Rare Earth Group ”, a central enterprise under the direct supervision of the State Council ’ s SASAC.
China's rare earth industry has experienced three major integrations since 2003, gradually reducing the number of companies and expanding the scale of the company.
In the latest round of restructuring, the industry has consolidated all rare earth mining and smelting separation enterprises in the country into two major groups based in the north and south, further strengthening Beijing ’ s control in this important strategic resource area.
The biggest advantage is monopoly processing?
In addition to rare earths, China is currently the world ’ s leading producer of refined cobalt. Although Congo produces more than two-thirds of the world ’ s cobalt, Chinese companies also own or invest in the vast majority of the country ’ s large cobalt mines.
In addition, Chinese enterprises recently invested heavily in Indonesian nickel mines, which once again attracted the attention of various countries.
China Zhongwei New Materials Co., Ltd. announced in May that it will expand its high-ice nickel business in Indonesia, and will invest a total of 1.26 billion US dollars in cooperation with Singapore Rigqueza International.
This is the second cooperation between the two companies. Last year, the two sides signed another cooperation project agreement with an annual output of 60,000 tons of high-ice nickel.
According to statistics, about 70% of Indonesia's nickel exports go to China.
China 's electric vehicle market continues to expand, and demand for nickel and lithium will increase significantly. (Getty)
Nickel can be used to increase the energy density of the electric vehicle battery, thereby increasing the driving range.
Market research firm SNE Research predicts that global demand for nickel metal for power batteries will double and sixfold by 2025 and 2030 respectively, due to the continued expansion of the electric vehicle market.
In fact, China has significantly expanded overseas mineral investment in the past few years.
According to the China Mining Magazine, as of 2017, the total scale of Chinese investment in overseas mineral resources has reached a staggering $1.8 trillion, and it is believed that the scale will be higher in the next few years.
Tae-Yoon Kim, an IEA analyst who authored the report “The Role of Key Minerals in the Transition to Clean Energy, ” said that by 2040, global demand for a variety of key metal minerals will increase rapidly.
He analyzed the leading countries in the mining and processing of these minerals and pointed out that although many countries have advantages in mining, such as cobalt mostly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, nickel from Indonesia, lithium from Australia and Bolivia, copper from Chile, rare earth from China, etc., only one country monopolizes the processing of all these minerals, which is China.
President Xi Jinping ’ s Belt and Road Initiative, coupled with the global presence of key metals, has enabled the country to take the lead. (Getty)
According to Kwasi Ampofo, head of metals and mining at Bloomberg New Energy Finance Research Center, China is currently in a very good position to benefit from this change. “If China decides to export Russia ’ s rare metal production to other countries through its processing plants and then sell its products to other countries, then China may be the biggest winner. ”
Rare earth advantage, lithium demand
The so-called knowledge of oneself and the enemy, China in the key metal competition to master the advantage at the same time, can not ignore its own potential difficulties and challenges.
First of all, after years of high-intensity development in China, rare earth resources are rapidly consumed.
According to data from the US Geological Survey, China's rare earth reserves in 2016 were still 55 million tons, but by 2020 it has dropped to 44 million tons, and its global share of reserves has thus dropped from nearly 50% to about 36%, and the proportion will continue to decline in the future.
Chinese companies have invested in various rare mineral mines around the world in recent years. Pictured is the Biketa Lithium Concentrate in Muswengo Province, Zimbabwe. (Xinhua)
Because rare earths are not really rare on a global scale, the U.S. Geological Survey says these elements, initially thought to be rare, are actually “relatively abundant ” in the Earth ’ s crust.
In recent years, the world has seen the emergence of rare earth prospecting fever driven by clean energy, and new rare earth deposits have been discovered from South America, Europe, Africa and Asia, many of which are already in the mining stage.
China Geological Survey Bureau has recently written that with the mining of rare earth resources in China and the discovery of new rare earth resources in other countries, the world's rare earth resource reserve pattern has changed, "China's rare earth resources advantage has gradually weakened."
Another problem is the urgent need to increase domestic lithium production.
Lithium is the main material used in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries for mobile phones and electric vehicles. As China has developed into the world ’ s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in recent years, the demand for lithium is also increasing.
At present, although China is a major lithium salt processing country, lithium resources are highly dependent on imports.
In 2019, the basic lithium salt processed by the domestic use of its own lithium resources was only 65,000 tons, and the remaining lithium concentrates rely on imports, with a total of 1.72 million tons of lithium pyrophosphate concentrate imported, and the imported minerals are mainly from Australia.
Some people in the country think that this situation may cause the risk of "jam neck", once some external factors cause domestic enterprises to hold shares in the mine to stop supply, domestic lithium supply is bound to go wrong.
A Chinese company recently promoted the upgrading of Indonesia ’ s nickel industry, showing a nickel factory in South East Sulawesi, Indonesia. (Xinhua)
There are also geopolitical risks.
For example, last year ’ s military coup in Guinea, a West African country rich in aluminum and iron ore resources, or affect the country as an important ally of the “Belt and Road ” project, China ’ s local bauxite imports and mining, and large-scale iron ore projects. Definitely impact.
Finally, other countries are actively participating in the competition.
The US State Department announced earlier that it will establish mineral safety partnerships with key partner countries to ensure the security of key mineral supply chains such as rare earths and lithium to counter China.
Fortunately, thanks to Beijing ’ s early lead on key metals issues, China ’ s advantage in this area is still evident, and the country is likely to stay ahead of the fierce competition in the long run.
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China’s rare earth sector, after several consolidations since 2003, has reduced company numbers and increased scale.

According to the US Geological Survey, China’s reserves dropped from 55 million tons in 2016 to 44 million tons in 2020; their global share declined from almost half to about 36%.

China remains the largest rare earth producer but is increasingly dependent on imported lithium for electric vehicle manufacturing.

A large rare earth mine found in Sweden threatens to ease the EU’s rare earth shortage, representing the largest known deposit in Europe, though mining may not begin for 10 to 15 years.

Title:

Content: People 's Network > > International
Large-scale rare earth mine found in Sweden threatens to ease EU ’ s rare earth shortage
January 19, 2023, 16: 34 | Source: Xinhua Network
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Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, January 19, (International observation) Sweden found large rare earth mines may be difficult to alleviate the "rare earth shortage" in the European Union.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Binbin
Sweden's state-owned mining company Luosa-Kiruna Mountain has announced that it has discovered a rare earth deposit in the Kiruna region of northern Sweden, containing more than 1 million tons of rare earth oxides.
It is the largest known rare earth deposit in Europe.
Analysts believe that although this discovery will help the EU to ease the situation of highly dependent on imports of rare earths, the EU's "rare earth shortage" is unlikely to have significant changes in the short term.
“A long way from discovery to development. ”
Jan Mostrom, chief executive of Luosa-Kiruna Mountain, said recently that the scale of rare earths in Kiruna has yet to be determined.
The company plans to submit a mining concession application this year, and it is expected to take several years to explore the deposits and the conditions for sustainable mining.
Rare earth is known as "industrial vitamins" and is widely used in metallurgy, military, petrochemical, glass ceramics, agriculture and new materials.
But the EU relies almost entirely on imports for rare earths.
"There is a long way to go from discovery to real mining," Mostrom said.
"It will take at least 10 to 15 years to start mining the deposit and supply it to the market," he said.
Several rare earth deposits have previously been found in Europe, such as in Kwane Bay in Greenland and Norrachel in Sweden.
However, because these sites are located near the Arctic, the need for local environmental protection has led to the development of the project is not smooth.
Ross Embleton, a researcher at Wood Mackenzie Consulting in the United Kingdom, believes that unless the approval process is shortened, the newly discovered deposit will not have an impact on the global supply of rare earths in the short term.
New opportunities for the Swedish industry
European Commission President von der Leyen said that the EU ’ s demand for rare earths is expected to increase fivefold by 2030, and that rare earths and lithium will “soon be more important than oil and gas. ”
For Sweden, the discovery of rare earth minerals will help reshape its image as an EU mining powerhouse, giving it a bigger role in the EU ’ s green transition.
The website of the French newspaper Le Monde pointed out that in the past decade, metal prices have been depressed, and mining exploration activities in Sweden have decreased sharply, but there are signs of recovery in the recent past.
It is also reported that this spring, the European Commission will introduce measures to strengthen its own supply of key raw materials, which means that Sweden's rare earth project may receive EU support.
Short-term changes to the pattern.
The European Union has been trying to diversify the rare earth supply chain for several years.
After the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine, the EU is more eager to push forward the process, especially to seek to strengthen its own supply within the EU.
However, the rare earth industry chain involves a series of procedures such as mining and separation, and the rare earth mineral reserves alone are not enough, which is also an important reason for the EU to get rid of its import dependence.
Geologists from the Swedish Geological Survey pointed out that Europe currently lacks the comprehensive capacity to process rare earth metals and manufacture intermediate products. “We also need to focus on the entire industry chain of rare earth metals, such as rare earth permanent magnets for wind turbines or electric vehicle engines. ”
Analysts stressed that the European rare earth industry chain is incomplete, the lack of advanced technology, talent and other supporting resources required, which will lead to the production of rare earth products cost too high, lack of competitiveness, and thus lead to the lack of incentives for enterprises to invest in this industry.
Experts pointed out that because China has the advantages of technology patents and industrial scale in processing links such as refining, many European companies choose to cooperate with China to process and extract raw materials, which is more economical.
Argus Media, an international independent pricing agency involved in energy and commodity markets, believes that some companies are pushing for a supply chain for rare earth products in Europe, "but the road to production of rare earth products is very difficult and requires huge investment and political will."
(Edited by: Cui Dege, Xu Xiangli)
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The EU is trying to diversify rare earth supply, especially after the Ukraine crisis, seeking stronger internal supply chains and focusing on downstream uses like permanent magnets.

Efforts to diversify are seen as a counter to China’s dominance in the rare earth market; EU leaders view rare earths as potentially more important than oil and gas.

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Content: Economy
International Finance
Norway Rare Earth Company: Europe ’ s largest mine bed found at 8.8 million tons
Rare Earths Norway says it has discovered Europe ’ s largest prospected rare earth bed in Norway, with an estimated total rare earth oxide (TREO) of 8.8 million tons.
Analysts believe that this will help Europe to counter China's dominance of rare earths.
The rare earth mine in Kiruna, Sweden, was previously thought to be the largest rare earth bed in Europe with a total of more than 1 million tons of rare earth oxides.
Alf Reistad, CEO of Norwegian Rare Earth, told CNBC that the discovery of a rare earth bed in Telemark, about 210 kilometers southwest of Oslo, is a "great milestone" for his company, which has not yet been mined in Europe.
He also quoted EU Commission President Von der Leyen as saying that rare earth elements will soon be more important than oil and gas.
Rare Earth Norway estimates that there are 1.5 million tons of magnetic-related rare earths that can be used in electric vehicles and wind turbines.
1.5 million tons of wading magnets can be used in electric vehicles
Demand for rare earths and key minerals is expected to continue to grow as the pace of the clean energy transition accelerates.
According to the EU ’ s “Key Raw Materials Law ”, the authorities strive to meet at least 10% of the EU ’ s annual rare earth demand by 2030. Norwegian Rare Earth Company said it hopes to contribute to this goal.
The market estimates that China currently contributes 70% of the global rare earth mining and 90% of the rare earth processing. In 2022, China is the largest source of rare earth element imports in the EU, accounting for 40% of the EU ’ s total rare earth element imports by weight.
(Roundup)
[International Finance]
Related Words: Largest European Rare Earth Norway
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China, amid Sino-American tensions, seeks to maintain global supply chain dominance, including proposing a merger of state-owned firms to form the world’s largest rare earth company, “China Rare Earth Group,” based in the resource-rich Jiangxi Province.

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[Rare earth pricing right] China intends to merge rare earth resources of state-owned enterprises such as China Minmetals and Aluminum to create the world's largest rare earth company
18: 30 2021 / 12 / 05
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[Rare earth pricing right] China intends to merge rare earth resources of state-owned enterprises such as China Minmetals and Aluminum to create the world's largest rare earth company
Rare earth is not only an important raw material for the military and science and technology industries, but also an important part of the Sino-American rivalry.
China plans to build the world ’ s largest rare earth company to maintain its dominant position in the global strategic metal supply chain as soon as this month. The plan is expected to be announced as soon as this month. The new company will be named China Rare Earth Group and will be based in Jiangxi Province, which is rich in rare earth resources.
China Rare Earth Group will be created by merging the rare earth resources of several state-owned enterprises, including China Minmetals, China Aluminum (02600) and Ganzhou Rare Earth.
China 's rare earth net profit increased by 36% in the first half of the year, see [Next]
The Wall Street Journal quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that the merger could strengthen China ’ s pricing power in rare earths, avoid infighting among companies, and use its strong influence to weaken key Western-led technologies, allowing China to maintain a dominant position in the global rare earth supply chain.
According to the US Geological Survey, the global rare earth storage capacity in 2020 is 116 million tons, and China is the country with the largest rare earth storage capacity in the world, reaching 44 million tons, accounting for 38% of the global total.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology data show that China's rare earth production quota in 2020 is 140,000 tons, accounting for about 58% of the world.
As other countries increase their mining efforts, China ’ s mining share has dropped significantly from a decade ago.
However, China has maintained a stable lead in the subsequent extraction of rare earths, accounting for about 80% of the world ’ s total, meaning that most of the rare earths mined overseas will be sent to China for final processing.
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Editor: Tseng Lok Sze
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