Greenland possesses significant reserves of rare earth minerals, particularly in its southern regions, which are increasingly valuable due to their essential role in high-tech applications such as electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies, and high-strength magnets for wind turbines and electric vehicles .

The most prominent deposit is the Kvanefjeld project, part of the Ilimaussaq complex in southern Greenland, recognized as one of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth deposits and containing substantial quantities of neodymium and dysprosium .

Other notable areas include the Nanortalik Gold belt, where the Nalunaq Gold Mine is located, and regions such as Mestersvig and Nussir .

The Kvanefjeld project alone is estimated to contain over 1.5 million tons of rare earth oxides, with a potential market value in the billions of dollars, contingent on global demand and market conditions .

Globally, the rare earth elements market was valued at $2.66 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $3.91 billion by 2028, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% .

Extraction in Greenland faces considerable challenges.

The process is technically complex and environmentally sensitive, as rare earth minerals often occur alongside radioactive materials, necessitating rigorous environmental management .

The Arctic environment imposes logistical difficulties, including harsh weather and transportation constraints, while regulatory requirements and the need for significant infrastructure investment further complicate operations .

Environmental concerns, particularly regarding the impact on Greenland’s fragile ecosystem, have led to opposition from local communities and environmental groups .

Innovative extraction methods, such as biosorption using genetically engineered bacteria, are being explored to reduce environmental impact, but most projects remain in the exploratory or early development phase .

Interest in Greenland’s rare earth minerals is strong among both countries

Greenland possesses significant reserves of rare earth minerals, particularly in its southern regions, which are increasingly valuable due to their essential role in high-tech applications such as electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies, and high-strength magnets for wind turbines and electric vehicles .

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Content: Oct 18, 2023

Bacteria could be the key to a safer, greener way of processing rare-earth metals

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Shewanella oneidensis could be used to expand the supply of rare-earth metals used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and other environmental technologies, according to Cornell’s Buz Barstow. China currently dominates the market for the minerals.

The word “bacteria” doesn’t exactly evoke positive images, but scientists at Cornell University recently discovered a novel way to replicate and use a bacterium from Oneida Lake in New York state.

It’s called Shewanella oneidensis, and it has a special affinity for the rare-earth elements — such as so-called lanthanides, metals that are important for clean, renewable energy technology.

The bacteria can be used to process rare-earth metals through a method called biosorption, which is considered safer and less taxing on the environment than current means of extraction.

Marketplace’s Lily Jamali discussed the findings with Buz Barstow, a professor of biological and environmental engineering at Cornell and a lead researcher on the project.

The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

Buz Barstow: So it enables us to make, we think, [an] extremely scalable, environmentally friendly process for separating individual lanthanides — exactly the thing you need for electric vehicles, wind turbines, superconductors. And it lets you do it not just, say, in China or other sort of less advanced economies. This is a process that we think is good enough, is environmentally friendly enough, to let us do this in the more advanced nations with more stringent environmental regulations. So it avoids us getting into this — my program manager, he called it eco-colonialism, where we externalize the CO2 problem. We say, “We want to solve this environmental problem, so we’re going to create these other environmental problems over in this other country.” This technology and technologies like it let us avoid that dilemma.

Lily Jamali: And why is that a better alternative to how we process rare-earth elements today?

Barstow: That’s a great question. It doesn’t involve any harsh chemicals. So today, we rely on a solvent extraction process to purify them. So organic solvents, they have a tendency to be carcinogenic. They’re terrible for the environment in other ways as well. We also use what’s called an organophosphorus-based extractant as well. That’s a molecule, again, carcinogenic, that has a small preference for one or a small number of rare-earths. Because that doesn’t have an enormous preference for any one rare-earth, you have to do this sort of successive enrichment process. So you need gallons and gallons and gallons of it. And you need sort of incredibly long separation processes as well. So there’s loads of potential for leakage as well.

Jamali: So in addition to being more environmentally sustainable, is this approach that researchers are working on, is it also more scalable?

Barstow: I would like to think so. We’re not the only people who are working on biological approaches to separating rare-earth elements. I can think of at least two colleagues — Joey Cotruvo at Penn State, Cecilia Martinez-Gomez at [the University of California] Berkeley — who are also coming up with bio-approaches. And they’re taking sort of, you know, very different approaches to the one we are. I’d like to think Shewanella and biosorption, in general, it has a lower specificity than their approaches. But it’s easier to get the rare-earths off the surface of the absorbing agent. So it might make for a faster, more scalable process. Also, biosorption doesn’t require that you purify anything, either. All it requires is biomass. We just have to grow cells, that’s really easy, doesn’t require any purification.

Jamali: When do you think we could see this in real life, a test run, a pilot?

Barstow: You know, I think it’s like, where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’d like to think that there’s enough momentum behind these technologies, there’s enough interest to fund them. I’ll use this opportunity to give a plug for my grad student, Sean Medin. Sean was the first author on this paper. and he and Alexa Schmitz — Alexa was my first postdoc [researcher] in my lab — founded a company called Reegen to commercialize this technology and also technology for engineering microbes to dissolve rocks to get rare-earths out of them as well. What they’ve done is they have opened up the opportunity for sort of commercial investment in this.

More on this

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, China is the global leader in rare-earth metals, producing 70% of the world’s supply.

But a report from the Yale School of the Environment finds that has come at a cost to the country in the form of serious water and soil pollution issues.

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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

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Best Arctic Shore Excursions

Sarah Schlichter
Contributor

Remote villages, icy fjords and rare wildlife make the world's Arctic region a compelling destination for cruisers looking for a little adventure. Encompassing Greenland, Iceland, the North Pole and the northern reaches of Norway, Russia and Canada, the Arctic is mostly traversed by small-ship expedition and luxury lines.

On many such cruises, you won't experience traditional shore excursions. Because the ships are small and landings occur in isolated areas, hikes, nature walks or Zodiac trips with the expedition staff are typically the only activity options -- and they're usually included in the cruise price.  (For more information on Arctic cruising, check out Arctic Cruise Tips.)

However, in larger or more developed Arctic ports, cruisers can choose from a wider variety of activities. We've rounded up a few of our favorite excursions across the Arctic region.

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Ilulissat, Greenland

Boat Trip to the Icefjord

Fed by Sermeq Kujalleq -- one of the world's most active glaciers -- Ilulissat's spectacular icefjord has been named a World UNESCO Heritage Site, and there's no better way to check it out than by taking a small boat out among the icebergs. You can't truly appreciate the awe-inspiring size of the icebergs until you get up close -- just bundle up in warm clothes. You'll hear smaller hunks of ice scraping along the boat's reinforced hull as you float serenely past massive icebergs in beautiful shades of blue and white.

Longyearbyen, Norway

Summer Dog-Sledding

Most travelers visit the Arctic during the summer when the weather is temperate and the sunlight lasts around the clock. Traditional dog-sledding isn't an option, but you can still meet the local dogs and ride in a wheeled sled. You'll learn the basics of mushing and then hop aboard for an exhilarating race across the tundra.

Honningsvag, Norway

King Crab Safari

From Honningsvag, take a ride aboard a deep-sea raft into the waters of the Sarnesfjord, where your guide will show you the pots set up to catch massive king crabs. (The crustaceans can weigh as much as 22 pounds each!) After you retrieve a few crabs -- and pose for a few photos -- the group will head to a Sami camp to cook the crabs over an open fire; you can sample them as a delicious snack with bread and butter.

Tromso, Norway

Ocean Kayaking

There are few more stunning backdrops for kayaking than Norway's scenic coastline. In this excursion from Tromso, you'll paddle an ocean kayak in the waters near Whale Island, enjoying the clean, crisp air while watching for fish and marine birds. This excursion is suited for physically fit travelers; previous kayaking experience is helpful but not required.

Qassiarsuk, Greenland

Erik the Red Settlement Walk (also known as Viking Ruins)

"Greenland" seems like an odd moniker for a barren land covered mostly in rock and ice, but this tiny farming settlement in the southern part of the island is one of the few places that live up to the name. Lush green hills populated by grazing sheep and horses provide a backdrop for the ruins of the Viking settlement founded by Erik the Red in the 10th century -- one of only a handful of Viking ruins in Greenland. Visitors can walk inside a re-creation of Erik's longhouse and his wife Tjodhilde's small chapel, and listen to a guide tell stories of what life was like here for the Viking settlers.

Grundarfjordur, Iceland

Bjarnarhofn Shark Farm & Helgafell

This tour for adventurous foodies offers a taste of traditional Iceland -- literally. You'll drive through a stark lava field en route to Bjarnarhofn, a farm where shark meat is allowed to rot and air-cure for months to produce a delicacy known as hakarl. (You can try it if you're brave. An accompanying shot of Brennivin, a local schnapps, helps it go down a little easier.) The tour then proceeds to a 240-foot hill called Helgafell; legend has it that those who climb it will be granted three wishes.

Isafjordur, Iceland

Cruise to Vigur Island

Take a serene, 30-minute boat ride from Isafjordur to tiny Vigur Island, measuring just a mile long and 450 yards wide. You'll share the island with a population of puffins, eider ducks, Arctic terns and other birds -- so bring your binoculars! Vigur is also home to Iceland's only windmill, dating back to 1840, and to a well-preserved, 200-year-old rowboat that the locals still use to transfer their sheep to the mainland to graze.

Lofoten Islands, Norway

Lofoten by Horseback

Saddle up and enjoy a relaxing ride through the Gimsoy landscape on a gentle Icelandic horse. Along the way you'll spot Viking ruins, colorful houses, fish laid out to dry, and a golf course where duffers can tee up around the clock in the summertime under the midnight sun. You'll even ride on the beach.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Blue Lagoon

Yes, it's popular. And no, it's not technically in the Arctic. But chances are that far-north cruises departing from Iceland will put you in proximity of this geothermal wonder; it's just 30 minutes from downtown Reykjavik and 15 minutes from the airport. The water is heated to a constant 102 degrees, making it ideal for a relaxing soak. Splurge on an in-water massage while floating on a raft in the massive pool. Or duck into its grotto, then luxuriate under a manmade waterfall. The mineral-rich, milky blue water is Wow Factor No. 1, but its ethereal black lava setting ranks a close second.

Updated October 10, 2019
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The most prominent deposit is the Kvanefjeld project, part of the Ilimaussaq complex in southern Greenland, recognized as one of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth deposits and containing substantial quantities of neodymium and dysprosium .

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Content: China tightens rare earth regulations amid rising global competition

Company News

by Glenn Dyer

Are the growing number of rare earth projects in Australia and elsewhere starting to force China onto the back foot?

The likes of Lynas (and its expanded product line from 2025), Iluka, Northern Minerals, and Arafura (Nolans) are starting to be felt globally, along with projects in the US, Canada, southern Africa, Sweden, and Norway.

Chinese interests tried to sneak a takeover of Northern Minerals before being stopped by the Australian government last month.

China is obviously starting to feel the heat, and it has reacted defensively by restricting exports of some rare minerals, such as germanium and gallium. Now, the controls are being expanded.

For a tightly controlled, Communist Party-run country, it's odd that ownership has never been made explicit for such a key mineral.

On Saturday, the Chinese government unveiled a list of rare earth regulations aimed at protecting supplies in the name of national security.

The new rules, which start on October 1, will cover the mining, smelting, and trade in rare earths used to make products from magnets in electric vehicles to consumer electronics.

The regulations, issued by the State Council or cabinet, state that rare earth resources belong to the state, and that the government will oversee the development of the industry around rare earths.

That’s a group of 17 minerals, of which China has, in recent years, become the world's dominant producer, accounting for nearly 90% of global refined output.

Their global industrial significance is such that, under a law that entered into force in May, the EU set ambitious 2030 targets for domestic production of minerals crucial in the green transition—particularly rare earths due to their use in permanent magnets that power motors in EVs and wind energy.

The EU sees demand rising sixfold in the decade to 2030 and sevenfold by 2050.

The new Chinese regulations state the State Council will establish a rare earth product traceability information system.

Enterprises operating in rare earth mining, smelting, separation, and the export of rare earth products will be required to establish a product flow record system, shall "truthfully" record the flow, and shall enter it into the traceability system, the State Council said in a statement on Saturday.

China already last year introduced restrictions on exports of the elements germanium and gallium, used widely in the chip-making sector, citing the need to protect national security and interests.

It also banned the export of technology to make rare earth magnets, in addition to imposing a ban on technology to extract and separate rare earths.

Those rules fanned fears that restrictions in rare earth supplies might increase tensions with the West, particularly the United States, which accuses China of using economic coercion to influence other countries. Beijing denies the claim.

China's rare earth regulations also come as the EU gears up to impose provisional tariffs on Chinese EVs on July 4 to protect the 27-state bloc from what it says is a flood of EVs produced with unfair state subsidies, though both sides have said they plan talks on the proposed tariffs.

Glenn Dyer

Glenn Dyer has been a finance journalist and TV producer for more than 40 years. He has worked at Maxwell Newton Publications, Queensland Newspapers, AAP, The Australian Financial Review, The Nine Network and Crikey.

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Other notable areas include the Nanortalik Gold belt, where the Nalunaq Gold Mine is located, and regions such as Mestersvig and Nussir .

The Kvanefjeld project alone is estimated to contain over 1.5 million tons of rare earth oxides, with a potential market value in the billions of dollars, contingent on global demand and market conditions .

Globally, the rare earth elements market was valued at $2.66 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $3.91 billion by 2028, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% .

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Content: Courtesy of Bryce Brownfield/Cornell University

Researchers genetically manipulated Vibrio natriegens to improve its ability to adsorb rare earth elements

13 hours ago

Cornell Researchers Improve On Ability of Bacteria To Efficiently Extract Rare Earth Elements

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Cornell researchers recently used genetic engineering to improve the extraction of rare earth elements using a bacteria called Vibrio natriegens.

Rare earth elements are a group of metallic elements with chemical similarities including scandium, yttrium and the lanthanides. According to the paper, published in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology, bacteria can provide a positive alternative to outdated and environmentally harmful methods of REE extraction.

According to co-lead author Sean Medin grad, REEs are components of sustainable technology like magnets, electric vehicles and wind turbines. However, the methods used to obtain high purity REEs often involve toxic solvents, high temperatures and a significant carbon impact. In their paper, Medin and co-lead author Anastacia Dressel ’24 demonstrated genetic engineering to make V. natriegens better suited for extracting the elements without emitting such pollutants.

“I’m interested in finding any way we can use synthetic biology to solve problems to do with climate change, and that involves reinventing our world’s energy system,” said Prof. Buz Barstow, biological and environmental engineering, who leads the lab which oversees the research, in an interview with the Sun. “Rare earths are something that just really took off for us.”

V. natriegens is a good candidate for extracting REEs from the environment due to many natural qualities of the bacteria useful to lab research. According to co-author and postdoctoral associate David Specht M.Eng. ’18 Ph.D. ’21, V. natriegens has a number of advantages that make it easy to work with. Not only is V. natriegens the fastest growing organism on earth, but it also grows at room temperature and can be engineered with many of the same genetic tools used with E. Coli, conventionally one of the easiest organisms to work with.

The natural process at the heart of extracting REEs with bacteria is biosorption, a passive process that occurs when a substance from the environment, like REEs, sticks to the outside of a bacteria. V. natriegens is one of the bacteria capable of biosorbing REEs.

Barstow was inspired by previous research which suggested that biosorption could be selective — meaning certain bacteria appeared to prefer sticking to some elements over others. This selectivity made biosorption a potential tool in element processing.

In the planned application of this research, after biosorption, the researchers would wash the bacteria and dissolve the REEs into a solution. Then, by exposing the bacteria to that new solution, the biosorption process would repeat. Due to this selectivity for certain elements, the paper predicts that a repetition of the process results in a REE solution of high purity. According to Barstow, biosorption causes REEs to stick to bacteria but not that well — like a sticky note — making this purification process very easy.

The researchers genetically engineered V. natriegens by inducing random mutations — a necessary process that allows the bacteria to mutate into a more selective version with a greater capacity to adsorb REEs.

“It’s very unlikely that we’re going to find organisms that really selectively interact with one rare earth metal. We’re trying to do something that doesn’t exist in nature,” Specht said in an interview with the Sun.

Throughout three rounds of mutations, the researchers selected samples of bacteria and screened them to determine the extent of biosorption. One version of V. natriegens improved biosorption by 210 percent for the REE dysprosium, a common component of magnets.

The researchers also observed an increase in selectivity between the lightest and heaviest REEs, indicating further potential to improve V. natriegens’ capability as an REE separator.

However, despite improving the biosorption capacity and selectivity, the researchers remain unsure exactly how particular genes contributed to the change.

“I explored a little bit of the genetics here, but it’s very circumstantial,” Medin said in an interview with the Sun. “[After scaling up and optimizing] I might actually be able to see — What’s the actual genetic basis? How can I actually mess with this a little bit better? That’s something that I’m looking forward to.”

Medin is continuing to research biosorption as a method of REE extraction at REEgen, a startup company in Cornell’s Praxis Center for Venture Development, where he is also working on the technology to separate the REEs from the bacteria. REEgen, co-founded by Medin and Alexa Schmitz Ph.D. ’18, is dedicated to utilizing biology to extract rare earths without the environmental cost, thus providing sustainably sourced materials to create more sustainable energy technologies.

“I think that biology is going to help us build a revolutionary new sustainable energy infrastructure,” Barstow said. “I would be even more surprised if [by the end of the century] there wasn’t at least one or two important energy technologies that were based on syn[thetic] bio[logy].”

Extraction in Greenland faces considerable challenges.

The process is technically complex and environmentally sensitive, as rare earth minerals often occur alongside radioactive materials, necessitating rigorous environmental management .

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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

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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 Arctic environment imposes logistical difficulties, including harsh weather and transportation constraints, while regulatory requirements and the need for significant infrastructure investment further complicate operations .

Environmental concerns, particularly regarding the impact on Greenland’s fragile ecosystem, have led to opposition from local communities and environmental groups .

Innovative extraction methods, such as biosorption using genetically engineered bacteria, are being explored to reduce environmental impact, but most projects remain in the exploratory or early development phase .

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.”

Title:

Content: Stocks of the Hour: Bastion Minerals, Ironbark Zinc, Western Yilgarn

Company News

by Abbey Phillipps

Bastion Minerals (ASX:BMO) has announced a significant new discovery with widespread visible uranium mineralisation with high spectrometer readings at the Morrissey Project. This significant new discovery in the Morrissey project identifies potential for economic surficial uranium, hosted at shallow depth in calcrete, with possible contemporary analogues such as Lake Maitland. Shares are trading 25 per cent higher at 1 cents.

Ironbark Zinc (ASX:IBG) has announced an update on their Citronen Project, in which the licence is successfully renewed with the Government of Greenland. The financing & commencement of production have been further extended to the end of 2024 and 2026 respectively; the maximum allowable extension able to be afforded to Ironbark under its current licence terms. Shares are trading 25 per cent higher at 0.5 cents.

Western Yilgarn (ASX:WYX) announced the successful phase 4 drilling program expands targets at Ida Holmes Junction Project in WA. There are 2 new Nickel and Copper PGE targets identified increasing overall project potential. Shares are trading flat at 4 cents.

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Interest in Greenland’s rare earth minerals is strong among both countries