Inside the race for Greenland’s mineral wealth

President Donald Trump has said he thinks the US will take control of Greenland, underscoring a claim on the Arctic island that he has repeated several times recently, at one point citing “economic security” as the reason. Although the autonomous Danish region was quick to say that it was not for sale, its vast mineral resources were largely untapped.

Jagged gray peaks suddenly appear before us, as the motorboat skims the choppy coastal waters and dramatic fjords of Greenland’s southern tip.

“It’s a very high pointy mountain, it’s basically a gold belt,” commented Eldur Olafsson, chief executive of mining company Amaroq Minerals.

After sailing for two hours we stepped ashore in a remote valley under Nalunaq mountain, where the company is drilling for gold.

It also scoured the surrounding mountains and valleys, hunting for other valuable minerals, having taken out exploration licenses covering more than 10,000 sq km (3,861 sq mi).

“We’re looking for copper, nickel, and rare earths,” Iceland’s boss said. “It is uncharted, and still has the potential to have some large deposits.”