Over a decade ago, Canadian miners searching for diamonds in western Greenland spotted a massive white mound. They named it White Mountain and soon discovered it to be a deposit of anorthosite, a mineral used in various industries and responsible for a ghostly glow on the moon’s surface. The White Mountain deposit is extensive, and the exact depth remains unknown. Lumina Sustainable Materials, a company mining the area, faces challenges due to the harsh Arctic conditions, including extreme temperatures and accessibility issues. Despite being rich in mineral resources, Greenland has only two active mines. Global interest in the island has increased due to rare earths minerals crucial for high-tech industries and geostrategic reasons. Competing for these resources, countries like China restrict exports, prompting the United States to secure mineral assets. The European Union and Rwanda recently signed a strategic minerals deal. Local concerns in Greenland include economic independence, environmental impacts, and debates over mining projects.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/world/europe/greenland-minerals-trump.html