"Rare earth minerals found in Greenland include monazite, bastnaesite, and florencite, which are associated with other minerals such as fluorite, variscite, and quartz."

The European Union has expressed interest in extracting rare earth minerals in Greenland through a strategic partnership with the Government of Greenland, but specific corporations are not mentioned.

"Greenland is estimated to have significant rare earth mineral deposits, with 25 of the 34 critical raw materials important for European industry and green transformation found in the country. The European Union has expressed interest in developing sustainable raw material value chains in Greenland."

"The discovered deposit contains over 1 million tons of rare earth oxides, but it is in Sweden, not Greenland, and its development may not significantly alleviate the EU's rare earth shortage in the short term."

Greenland Minerals & Energy is a corporation involved in Greenland's mineral development, specifically in the context of rare earth elements.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has been informed about Norway's mining plans.

China holds approximately 30% of global rare earth reserves.

Tanbreez Mining has been granted permission to extract rare earth minerals in Greenland, with production expected to start in 2024, and the mine is estimated to contain over half of the world's rare earth resources.

Vital Metals is developing the Tardiff deposit at Nechalacho.

A Chinese corporation, Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare Earth Hi-Tech, has been identified as a key player in the rare earth elements market, suggesting potential interest in Greenland's rare earth minerals.

Naga Nathanelsen, the Minister of Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice and Gender Equality, signed the memorandum of understanding on behalf of Greenland.

"Rare earth minerals found in Greenland include monazite, bastnaesite, and florencite, which are associated with other minerals such as fluorite, variscite, and quartz."

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Pensana Plc - Encouraging Sulima West Beneficiation Test Work Results

Pensana Plc - Encouraging Sulima West Beneficiation Test Work Results

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, May 14

14 May 2024

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDER INFORMATION

Pensana Plc

("Pensana" or the "Company")

Encouraging Sulima West Beneficiation Test Work Results

Pensana (PRE) is pleased to provide an update on the beneficiation test work on samples from the Sulima West deposit on the Coola exploration licence located 75 kilometres north of Longonjo.

The test work is being undertaken to determine whether the mineralogy at Sulima West is amenable to simple upgrading onsite, prior to transporting to Longonjo for further processing.

The initial results on the samples tested are very encouraging. Both samples tested show the potential for separation and upgrading to a high-grade concentrate using simple magnetic and gravity processes.

Once the test work has been finalised a drill programme will be undertaken to delineate the extent of the near surface mineralisation over the six-hectare target area at Sulima West.

Highlights include:

·The composite laterite sample graded 8.4% TREO (total rare earth oxide) with 80% comprising magnetic iron and manganese oxides and 10% REE (rare earth element) rich monazite.

·Magnetic and gravity separation test work has been commissioned with the target of producing a 50% TREO concentrate suitable for treatment at Longonjo.

·The apatite-maghemite sample graded 22% P2O5 (phosphate) and was upgraded to 42.6% P2O5 using magnetic separation. Test work has been commissioned with the aim of producing a commercially saleable >40% phosphate concentrate.

Grant Hayward, Exploration Manager commented: "'These early results indicate the potential for low-cost physical beneficiation of the Sulima West ore at site, feeding the Longonjo processing plant with a high-grade rare earth concentrate."

Sulima West Laterite

The Sulima West REE enriched laterite covers an area of approximately 6 hectares and has a surface expression defined by a strong soil anomaly grading >3% TREO. The laterite has been sampled in four trenches and numerous pits of 4-6 metres deep, with all the pits ending in mineralisation.

Delineation drilling is required to fully evaluate the dimensions of the laterite and will be undertaken based on the outcome of beneficiation test work.

In late 2023, a 100-kilogram laterite sample was extracted from the wall of Trench 1 over a width of 7 metres and bagged and freighted to Blu Sky Mining laboratory in Pretoria, South Africa for test work.

The entire 100-kilogram laterite sample was homogenised and ground to 100% passing 3.35 mm and 35-kilogram split off and stage ground to 80% passing 150 µm. Samples were screened into six size ranges, analysed for major and trace elements, and PSD plots compiled. Three different size fractions were submitted for QEMSCAN analysis.

The head grade of the laterite is 8.4% TREO, and the sample comprises 80% goethite (iron oxide), psilomelane (manganese oxide) and other oxides, which are all importantly paramagnetic. 10% of the sample comprises monazite which is large and well liberated.

The monazite shows very little association with the goethite or psilomelane . Other rare earth minerals identified are bastnaesite and florencite and gangue minerals including fluorite, variscite and minor quartz.

Further ongoing test work commissioned involves magnetic separation to remove the paramagnetic minerals to the magnetic fraction and then subject the non-magnetic fraction containing the non-magnetic minerals (REE's, fluorite, variscite, quartz, etc.) to further gravity test work to upgrade and recover the monazite and bastnaesite with the aim of achieving a 50% TREO concentrate grade.

The liberation of the monazite appears sufficient to continue with the current grind. This REE concentrate will then be subject to bench scale test work to see how it responds to the Longonjo flotation and hydrometallurgy regime.

Sulima West Apatite-Maghemite

The Sulima West apatite-maghemite (phosphate) sample was sourced from an isolated, outcropping hill of this rock type, immediately to the northwest of laterite area. The outcrop has a surface area of approximately 500 m2 and has been exposed in two 5-6 metre, deep pits.

A 100-kilogram sample of this outcropping phosphate rock type was bagged and freighted to South Africa for beneficiation test work. The entire sample was homogenised and ground to 100% passing 3.35 mm and three grind sizes were considered, 80% passing 1 mm, 80% passing 850 µm and 80% passing 500 µm. The sample head grade is 21% P2O5. The sample comprises essentially Fe oxides (55%) and apatite (42%) with minor rutile/ilmenite (2%).

Two beneficiation processes were considered, namely gravity (shaking table) and magnetic separation (Carpco).

Gravity separation was not efficient to achieve a saleable P2O5 grade. Magnetic separation achieved a >38% P2O5 grade at a good mass yield. 80% passing 500 µm achieved the highest mass yield and grade after magnetic separation, achieving a grade of 42.6% P2O5 and 34% mass yield. The La and Nd upgraded to the phosphate concentrate.

Further ongoing test work commissioned involves milling a 50-kilogram sample to 80% passing 500 µm and conducting WHIMS (wet high intensity magnetic separation) test work to the milled sample to get a >38% P2O5 concentrate at maximum yield. In addition, a 10-kilogram sample of apatite concentrate will be produced for further mineralogical studies and for marketing purposes.

For further details please go to https://pensana.co.uk/coola-exploration-project/ on the Pensana website.

The information contained within this announcement is considered by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No.596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information will be considered to be in the public domain. The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Paul Atherley, Chairman.

- ENDS -

For further information, please contact:

Shareholder/analyst enquiries:

Pensana Plc

Paul Atherley, Chairman IR@pensana.co.uk

Tim George, Chief Executive Officer

Rob Kaplan, Chief Financial Officer

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The European Union has expressed interest in extracting rare earth minerals in Greenland through a strategic partnership with the Government of Greenland, but specific corporations are not mentioned.

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Content: Friday 01 December 2023
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
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EU and Greenland sign strategic partnership on raw material value chains
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The European Union has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Greenland in Brussels to establish a strategic partnership to develop sustainable raw material value chains.
Greenland ’ s vast natural wealth is a key asset for reaping the benefits of global value chains, as it seeks to diversify its economy in a sustainable way, while 25 of the 34 critical raw materials identified by the Commission as strategically important for European industry and green transformation can be found in Greenland.
The Executive Vice President of the European Green Deal, Enterprise Relations and Foresight of the European Commission, Maros Sivčović, signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Greenland represented by the Minister of Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice and Gender Equality, Naga Nathanelsen.
The signing of the MoU will contribute to the development of sustainable projects along the raw materials value chains and the deployment of the necessary infrastructure for their development.
The MoU provides for close cooperation between Greenland and the EU in five important areas; among which is the development of economic and industrial integration of the value chains of vital raw materials and other raw materials.
This includes networking, joint project development, creating and promoting new business models, attracting investments, supporting access to finance, facilitating business linkages, developing and integrating support for economic diversification and ensuring the smooth functioning and resilience of value chains.
Foster collaboration to leverage high environmental, social and international governance (ESG) standards, to ensure that Greenland ’ s mineral sector serves as a lever for sustainable and inclusive economic growth while creating local and local value.
This includes the sustainable exploitation of mineral resources in close dialogue with the Greenland community of individuals, organisations, institutions and other stakeholders, taking fully into account the unique nature of Greenland ’ s pristine lands and applying high environmental, social and governance standards set out in legislation, conventions, guidelines and best practices.
Deploy the infrastructure needed to develop raw material value chains.
This includes taking into account the specificities of Greenland's transport and energy infrastructure needs, taking into account Arctic or sub-Arctic conditions, and supporting the mobilization of funding for such infrastructure.
Capacity building and skills development along raw material value chains.
This includes developing skills at all levels in the raw materials industry and wider society.
Greenland is eligible to participate in the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and provides Earth observation data thanks to the European Copernicus Satellite Programme which offers promising opportunities related to mineral exploration, sediment mapping and mining monitoring including waste management and environmental impact monitoring.
according to the statement.

"Greenland is estimated to have significant rare earth mineral deposits, with 25 of the 34 critical raw materials important for European industry and green transformation found in the country. The European Union has expressed interest in developing sustainable raw material value chains in Greenland."

"The discovered deposit contains over 1 million tons of rare earth oxides, but it is in Sweden, not Greenland, and its development may not significantly alleviate the EU's rare earth shortage in the short term."

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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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Greenland Minerals & Energy is a corporation involved in Greenland's mineral development, specifically in the context of rare earth elements.

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Content: Uncategorized

Rare Earth Elements Market, Global Outlook and Forecast 2022-2028

Rare Earth Element is one of a set of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the fifteen lanthanides, as well as scandium and yttrium. Scandium and yttrium are considered rare-earth elements because they tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and exhibit similar chemical properties.
This report contains market size and forecasts of Rare Earth Elements in global, including the following market information:
Global Rare Earth Elements Market Revenue, 2017-2022, 2023-2028, ($ millions)
Global Rare Earth Elements Market Sales, 2017-2022, 2023-2028, (MT)
Global top five Rare Earth Elements companies in 2021 (%)
The global Rare Earth Elements market was valued at 2659.4 million in 2021 and is projected to reach US$ 3906.3 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period.
The U.S. Market is Estimated at $ Million in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $ Million by 2028.
Cerium Segment to Reach $ Million by 2028, with a % CAGR in next six years.
The global key manufacturers of Rare Earth Elements include Arafura, Alkane Resources, Avalon Rare Metals, China Rare Earth Holdings, Indian Rare Earths, Lynas, Great Western Minerals, Greenland Minerals & Energy and Rare Element Resources, etc. In 2021, the global top five players have a share approximately % in terms of revenue.
We surveyed the Rare Earth Elements manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and industry experts on this industry, involving the sales, revenue, demand, price change, product type, recent development and plan, industry trends, drivers, challenges, obstacles, and potential risks.
Total Market by Segment:
Global Rare Earth Elements Market, by Type, 2017-2022, 2023-2028 ($ Millions) & (MT)
Global Rare Earth Elements Market Segment Percentages, by Type, 2021 (%)
Cerium
Dysprosium
Erbium
Europium
Gadolinium
Holmium
Lanthanum
Lutetium
Neodymium
Praseodymium
Global Rare Earth Elements Market, by Application, 2017-2022, 2023-2028 ($ Millions) & (MT)
Global Rare Earth Elements Market Segment Percentages, by Application, 2021 (%)
Magnets
Catalysts
Metallurgy
Polishing
Glass
Phosphors
Ceramics
Other
Global Rare Earth Elements Market, By Region and Country, 2017-2022, 2023-2028 ($ Millions) & (MT)
Global Rare Earth Elements Market Segment Percentages, By Region and Country, 2021 (%)
North America
US
Canada
Mexico
Europe
Germany
France
U.K.
Italy
Russia
Nordic Countries
Benelux
Rest of Europe
Asia
China
Japan
South Korea
Southeast Asia
India
Rest of Asia
South America
Brazil
Argentina
Rest of South America
Middle East & Africa
Turkey
Israel
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Rest of Middle East & Africa
Competitor Analysis
The report also provides analysis of leading market participants including:
Key companies Rare Earth Elements revenues in global market, 2017-2022 (Estimated), ($ millions)
Key companies Rare Earth Elements revenues share in global market, 2021 (%)
Key companies Rare Earth Elements sales in global market, 2017-2022 (Estimated), (MT)
Key companies Rare Earth Elements sales share in global market, 2021 (%)
Further, the report presents profiles of competitors in the market, key players include:
Arafura
Alkane Resources
Avalon Rare Metals
China Rare Earth Holdings
Indian Rare Earths
Lynas
Great Western Minerals
Greenland Minerals & Energy
Rare Element Resources
Molycorp
Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare Earth Hi-Tech
Frontier Rare Earths

Download FREE Sample of this Report @ https://www.statsmarketresearch.com/download-free-sample/7131409/global-rare-earth-elements-forecast-2022-2028-651

Table of content

1 Introduction to Research & Analysis Reports
1.1 Rare Earth Elements Market Definition
1.2 Market Segments
1.2.1 Market by Type
1.2.2 Market by Application
1.3 Global Rare Earth Elements Market Overview
1.4 Features & Benefits of This Report
1.5 Methodology & Sources of Information
1.5.1 Research Methodology
1.5.2 Research Process
1.5.3 Base Year
1.5.4 Report Assumptions & Caveats
2 Global Rare Earth Elements Overall Market Size
2.1 Global Rare Earth Elements Market Size: 2021 VS 2028
2.2 Global Rare Earth Elements Revenue, Prospects & Forecasts: 2017-2028
2.3 Global Rare Earth Elements Sales: 2017-2028
3 Company Landscape
3.1 Top Rare Earth Elements Players in Global Market
3.2 Top Global Rare Earth Elements Companies Ranked by Revenue
3.3 Global Rare Earth Elements Revenue by Companies
3.4 Global Rare Earth Elements Sales by Companies
3.5 Global Rare Earth Elements Price by Manufacturer (2017-2022)
3.6 Top 3 and Top 5 Rare Earth Elements Companies in Global Market, by Revenue in 2021
3.7 Global Manufacturers Rare Earth Elements Product Type
3.8 Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 Rare Earth Elements Players in Global Market
3.8.1 List of Global Tier 1 Rare Earth Elements Companies
3.8.2 List of Global Tier 2 and Tier 3 Rare Earth Elements Companies
4 Sights by Product
4.1 Overview
4.1.1 By Type – Global Rare Earth El

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The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has been informed about Norway's mining plans.

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Norway’s deep-sea mining plans could put it on collision course with the EU

Frazer Norwell - [email protected]

The European Parliament has voted in favour of expressing its deep concerns over Norway's plans to mine the seabed in the Arctic for precious minerals

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A European Parliament resolution on Wednesday raised concerns over Norway’s plans to carry out deep-sea mining plans and the impact it could have on EU fisheries, food security, Arctic marine biodiversity and the potential impacts on neighboring countries, environmental news publication ENDS Europe reported.

Despite not being a member of the European Union, Norway is bound to Europe by the EEA Agreement which sees Norway adopt European laws and directives in exchange for access to the single market.

On January 9th, Norway’s parliament voted through proposals for commercial scale deep-sea mining, making it the first country in the world to do so.

Around 280,000 square kilometers of the Norwegian continental shelf could be opened up for deep-sea mining.

The decision was supported by a coalition of parties inside and outside of government. The Conservative Party, Labour Party, Centre Party and Progress Party all voted in favour of the proposal.

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has rejected early criticism of the proposal.

“What has been talked about in the European Parliament in recent days... of what Norway is doing does not match reality,” Støre said to Norwegian newswire NTB on Wednesday .

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“Norway is used to claims and statements being made about our management of the marine areas. It has always been the case, whether it has been about whaling or gas operations, or as now, that we have a map of what minerals we have on the seabed,” he also said.

He said that the government had penned a letter to President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to avoid misunderstandings on the matter.

“I have used the opportunity in recent days to inform European colleagues about what Norway is actually doing. It is not like we are going to give the green light to mining on the seabed. There is not a single project that is under consideration, and not a single green light has been given,” Støre said.

Those in favour of the proposal say that the minerals that could be extracted from the seabed are essential for the global transition to green industries.

Scientists, environmental groups and politicians have raised serious concerns about the potential ecological impact of deep-sea mining. A geological survey by the Norwegian government has also expressed reservations.

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Experts also argue that the current gaps in scientific understanding of deep-sea ecosystems meaning that it would be too soon to even begin exploration of the seabed for minerals like cobalt, copper, zinc.

The minerals are used in a number of key green energy technologies such as batteries, electric car engines, wind turbines, solar cells, and power lines.

Norway doesn’t expect actual mining activity to begin until the early 2030s and has said that the issuance of licenses would be dependent on environmental studies.

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China holds approximately 30% of global rare earth reserves.

Title:

Content: Last week, China announced plans to merge three of its main rare earth metal companies, Minmetals Rare Earth, Chinalco Rare Earth & Metals Co, and China Southern Rare Earth Group Co into a yet-to-be-named company.

Rare earths are elements which are critical for the manufacture of electronic components and high-tech alloys necessary for civilian and defence applications. They are not rare per se, but they are often found in combination with other elements, with the extraction process being expensive and polluting.

Presently, China enjoys a near-monopoly of rare earths, as in 2019 it produced 90% of the world’s rare earths, alloys, and permanent magnets. Also, it has an estimated 36 million tonnes of rare earth reserves, which is around 30% of global reserves. In comparison, the US has estimated 13 million tonnes of rare earths reserves, which is 13% of the global total. Other countries such as Australia, Russia, India, and Brazil also have substantial reserves.

China was not always the world’s leading rare earths producer. Up until the 1980s, 99% of the world’s rare earths supply was provided by the US as a by-product of its mining operations for titanium, zircon, and phosphate. However, due to changes in US regulations, voluntary transfer of intellectual property, and absence of industrial policy, China was able to capture the rare earths market for itself.

Analysts believe that China’s near-monopoly of rare earth metals gives it a trump card in its rivalry with the US for global dominance, and it has shown a willingness to weaponize the trade. China can choose to ban the export of rare earth metals to countries or companies it deems a threat to its interests.

This year, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology last month proposed draft controls on the production and export of 17 rare earth metals that are crucial for the manufacture of US F-35 fighter jets and other high tech weaponry.

Last year, China considered a ban on rare earth exports to Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Raytheon due to US arms sales to Taiwan. Also, in 2010 China enacted a de facto ban on rare earth exports to Japan in response to maritime clashes over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. However, China’s de facto ban was ineffective, as Japan quickly established its own rare earths supply chain.

China’s approach to rare earths is largely driven by domestic factors. It aims to develop green technologies and renewable energy to compensate for environmental damage from rare earth mining. Further, China’s economic strategy to become a technological leader gives it an incentive to dominate the rare earths trade, thereby influencing downstream industries, and in the process strengthening the economic credentials and legitimacy of the ruling Communist Party.

However, China’s rare earth reserves are not infinite. Environmental pollution and increasingly scarce reserves are pushing Chinese rare earth companies to find alternative sources abroad. To that end, China has been increasing its geopolitical footprint for rare earths in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Developing countries with substantial rare earth deposits may find themselves in the position of Middle Eastern countries after the discovery of oil in their territories. However, as with oil such situation with rare earths may open a Pandora’s box for these countries.

First, the environmental and social consequences of rare earth mining can trigger further social and political instability in these countries. In Ecuador, China’s strategy of elite co-optation to sidestep social and environmental safeguards has led to protests among the country’s indigenous community.

Second, the revenues from rare earth metals can strengthen autocratic rule. In Myanmar, revenues from the country’s significant rare earth exports to China are allegedly used to fund pro-junta militias in the country’s ongoing insurgency.

Third, these countries can pursue an omni-balancing approach between China and other interested parties, such as the US, Japan, and Australia. Such strategy involves playing one side against the other to ensure that no major player takes control of these countries’ strategic rare earth industries. However, this strategy is inherently risky, as these major players may perceive such approach as duplicity, and eventually assert their interests heavy-handedly.

Tanbreez Mining has been granted permission to extract rare earth minerals in Greenland, with production expected to start in 2024, and the mine is estimated to contain over half of the world's rare earth resources.

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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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Vital Metals is developing the Tardiff deposit at Nechalacho.

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Vital Metals shifts focus to Tardiff deposit with new Chinese investment

Vital Metals’ future in the Northwest Territories is unclear, but the company’s plan to focus on the Tardiff deposit at Nechalacho remains promising, according to Tom Hoefer, executive director of the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines.

“It’s a significant deposit, and it’s much bigger than the one they test mined,” Hoefer said. “So that’s the prize, I would say – at this point, anyway.”

Australian-owned Vital Metals commenced operations at Nechalacho in 2021. The site, which sits about 100 kilometres southeast of Yellowknife, produces rare earth elements (REE), critical minerals used in electronics, green energy, automotive, aerospace, military defence and more.

Until recently, Vital Metals had plans to build a processing facility in Saskatoon. Processed assets would then be sold to Norwegian firm REEtec before being further processed and moved to other parts of Europe for various uses. However, in late September, after spending millions of dollars on the construction of the Saskatoon plant, the company made a stunning revelation.

“In summary we’ve demonstrated that the Saskatoon facility doesn’t make economic sense for us to operate, so we’ve decided to terminate that facility,” Vital Metals chairman Richard Crookes said in a video statement. “We’ve placed the holding company, Vital Metals Canada Ltd. into bankruptcy and we’ve terminated our offtake agreement with REEtec.”

Crookes, who was listed as the point of contact in Vital Metals’ recent news releases, did not respond to three requests for an interview about the company’s current situation, or that of its subsidiary Cheetah Resources, which owns Nechalacho.

The GNWT’s department of Industry, Tourism and Investment would not comment on the status of either company, but noted that “Cheetah Resources has not attained commercial production as defined by section 68 of the NWT Mining Regulations,” which means that the company is not currently required to file a royalty return.

Focus on Tardiff

Vital Metals’ announcement about its Saskatoon plant coincided with its decision to focus on Tardiff, which Crookes called a “very large, high-grade, shallow” deposit and “a fantastic asset in a great jurisdiction.”

Soon after the announcement was made, the company hired a new managing director in Geordie Mark, the former head of mining research at Haywood Securities, a Vancouver-based investment firm.

Weeks later, in late October, Vital Metals unveiled what it called a “cornerstone investment” from a Singaporean subsidiary of Chinese REE company Shenghe Resource Holdings. The investment “will allow the company to establish a new leadership team, and to progress development of the large-scale Tardiff deposit,” stated the news release announcing the deal.

The homepage of Vital Metals’ website claims that the company aims to “become the lowest cost producer of mixed rare earth oxide outside of China,” yet a Chinese firm will now share in any success the NWT project has.

‘Head-scratcher’

While Crookes did not respond to multiple requests for an interview, Hoefer noted that Shenghe likely doesn’t have enough ownership in the company to have controlling interest, but called Vital Metals’ decision to get involved with a Chinese firm “a head-scratcher.”

“If you research the critical mineral strategies of places like the United States and Canada, one of the reasons for having the strategy is also because China is dominating the scene with critical minerals,” he said. “There’s a concern because critical minerals are also used in defense and other strategic things. There’s concern over monopolization of critical minerals out of China.”

No matter how Vital Metals’ future unfolds, Hoefer believes prospects for the critical mineral industry in the territory are bright, and contends that the company has helped show the industry’s potential.

“Certainly the world has a strong demand for rare earths as with all of these critical minerals,” he said. “That’s why these minerals are called critical.

“[Vital Metals] mined the smaller deposit [at Nechalacho] so that they could do proof of concept that they could establish a supply chain of rare earth elements from Canada all the way through to final product, and they did that,” he added.

“I think it’s a tremendous stride that they proved that that could happen with stuff from the Northwest Territories.”

The NWT’s critical minerals industry could become all the more critical in the coming years, with the territory’s three remaining diamond mines all nearing closure. The critical minerals industry won’t replace the diamond mines, but it can help fill the void – provided that the government can entice companies to start digging, Hoefer said.

“The Northwest Territories, and Nunavut for that matter, are hugely attractive from a geological potential,” he said. “Where they suffer is from things like lack of infrastructure, or overly complex regulatory systems, or their geography, which increases the costs. That’s where governments need to start realizing that, yes, we’ve got great potential, but to unlock that potential, we’re going to have to roll up our sleeves and do something about it.

“I think sometimes people think that the reason we have mines is because the mines have come and decided to do what they want to do, but the reality is it’s governments that have a responsibility.”

Tom Taylor, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWT News/North

A Chinese corporation, Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare Earth Hi-Tech, has been identified as a key player in the rare earth elements market, suggesting potential interest in Greenland's rare earth minerals.

What countries are invested in Greenland Minerals corp?

Naga Nathanelsen, the Minister of Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice and Gender Equality, signed the memorandum of understanding on behalf of Greenland.