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Greenland Is Rich in Natural Resources. A Geologist Explains Why
USGS and Danish researchers find Greenland’s sub-ice deposits include 31 billion barrels of oil-equivalent and critical rare earth elements vital for global energy transition.
- On January 8, 2026, the US Geological Survey estimated onshore northeast Greenland contains around 31 billion barrels of oil-equivalent in hydrocarbons and rich critical minerals.
- Its 4-billion-year geology explains why Greenland experienced mountain building, rifting and volcanic activity, which produced oil, gas, rare earth elements and gems.
- Unusual finds include diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes and truck-sized native iron, while sub-ice dysprosium and neodymium may total nearly 40 million tonnes, meeting over a quarter of future demand.
- The scale has already drawn research from Denmark and the US into viability, while Greenland's 1970s mining laws face pressure amid interest in developing Kvanefield.
- An area the size of Albania has melted since 1995 and, despite advances in ground-penetrating radar and bedrock topography mapping under up to 2 km of ice, prospecting and sustainable extraction remain slow, with an unfortunate dilemma expected Soon.
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The Danish autonomous territory contains enormous resources, but it continues to be difficult to attract investors, while their exploitation faces many obstacles, particularly in terms of profitability.
·Paris, France
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Greenland is rich in natural resources – a geologist explains why
Greenland’s concentration of natural resource wealth is tied to its hugely varied geological history over the past 4 billion years. Jane Rix/ShutterstockGreenland, the largest island on Earth, possesses some of the richest stores of natural resources anywhere in the world. These include critical raw materials – resources such as lithium and rare earth elements (REEs) that are essential for green technologies, but whose production and sustainabil…
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left2Leaning Right2Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 25%
C 50%
R 25%
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