Greenland Faces Hard Decisions about Rare Earth Mineral Mining
2021-03-07
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1Greenland has become a point of interest for several countries, including the United States and China.
2This interest comes at a time when Greenland's government faces difficult decisions about the island's future.
3Those decisions include whether to approve large mining projects.
4Greenland has large amounts of resources known as 'rare earth' metals.
5These metals are used to create equipment for electric vehicles, combat aircraft, weapons systems and many kinds of electronics.
6Greenland has what the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) calls the world's biggest undeveloped deposits of rare earth metals.
7Deposit is a term that means an amount of a resource, like a mineral, that exists in the ground.
8Most of Greenland, the world's largest island, is north of the Arctic Circle.
9But the island's ice covering and glaciers are shrinking.
10As a result, two Australia-based mining companies are racing for approval to dig.
11One of the companies is seeking financing in the United States.
12The other company is owned in part by a Chinese state-supported company.
13Each Greenland mine would cost about $500 million to develop, the companies say.
14Both plan to send mined material away for final processing.
15This processing often takes place in China.
16The two possible mines in Greenland are less than 16 kilometers from each other.
17They are at the southern end of the island, near a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
18The debate over the possible mines has created a political crisis.
19In April, a general election will be held on the island of 56,000 people.
20Many Greenlanders are concerned about pollution.
21But they believe mining is important for developing their economy.
22In a 2013 public opinion study, just over half said they want raw materials to become the country's main source of money.
23The country may support either project, both projects, or neither project.
24But for those Greenlanders open to mining, the two possibilities come down to a choice between one mine that would not produce radioactive material and another that would.
25The first mine project would not involve nuclear material.
26It has won early environmental approval, but it needs investment and a processing plan.
27The second project has already spent more than $100 million preparing to mine.
28It has proven processing technology through its Chinese partner.
29And it won early political support from Greenland's government.
30But its plans include exporting uranium, a nuclear fuel.
31It recently ran into strong opposition from residents of the nearby town of Narsaq among others.
32Mariane Paviasen is an opposition lawmaker from Narsaq.
33She said she opposed the mining project because it presents a threat to the environment.
34"As indigenous people we have lived in harmony with nature for many, many years," Paviasen said.
35"We use these lands to hunt and fish."
36Greenland's decision comes at a time when some Western countries are considering ways to break free of China in the production of an important resource.
37Rare earth metals have many uses, and last year China produced about 90 percent of them, said Toronto-based Adamas Intelligence.
38The only rare earth mine now operating in the United States is Mountain Pass in California.
39It is partly owned by a Chinese state-backed company that sends material mined in the United States to China for processing.
40As U.S.-China tensions increase, President Joe Biden's administration said last month it will reconsider important U.S. supplies, including rare earths.
41Greenland, a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, has a gross domestic product of around $3 billion.
42Its government wants to gain from foreign investments.
43Greenland's government did not answer Reuters' requests for comment for this story.
44Last month, the Acting Minister of Resources, Vittus Qujaukitsoq, said that if Greenlanders suddenly decide they do not want the second project, "we'll make a fool of investors. The credibility of the whole country is at stake."
45I'm Ashley Thompson. And I'm John Russell.
1Greenland has become a point of interest for several countries, including the United States and China. 2This interest comes at a time when Greenland's government faces difficult decisions about the island's future. Those decisions include whether to approve large mining projects. 3Greenland and rare earth metals 4Greenland has large amounts of resources known as 'rare earth' metals. These metals are used to create equipment for electric vehicles, combat aircraft, weapons systems and many kinds of electronics. 5Greenland has what the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) calls the world's biggest undeveloped deposits of rare earth metals. Deposit is a term that means an amount of a resource, like a mineral, that exists in the ground. 6Most of Greenland, the world's largest island, is north of the Arctic Circle. But the island's ice covering and glaciers are shrinking. As a result, two Australia-based mining companies are racing for approval to dig. One of the companies is seeking financing in the United States. The other company is owned in part by a Chinese state-supported company. 7Each Greenland mine would cost about $500 million to develop, the companies say. Both plan to send mined material away for final processing. This processing often takes place in China. 8The two possible mines in Greenland are less than 16 kilometers from each other. They are at the southern end of the island, near a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 9Islanders debate 10The debate over the possible mines has created a political crisis. In April, a general election will be held on the island of 56,000 people. 11Many Greenlanders are concerned about pollution. But they believe mining is important for developing their economy. In a 2013 public opinion study, just over half said they want raw materials to become the country's main source of money. 12The country may support either project, both projects, or neither project. But for those Greenlanders open to mining, the two possibilities come down to a choice between one mine that would not produce radioactive material and another that would. 13The first mine project would not involve nuclear material. It has won early environmental approval, but it needs investment and a processing plan. 14The second project has already spent more than $100 million preparing to mine. It has proven processing technology through its Chinese partner. And it won early political support from Greenland's government. But its plans include exporting uranium, a nuclear fuel. It recently ran into strong opposition from residents of the nearby town of Narsaq among others. 15Mariane Paviasen is an opposition lawmaker from Narsaq. She said she opposed the mining project because it presents a threat to the environment. 16"As indigenous people we have lived in harmony with nature for many, many years," Paviasen said. "We use these lands to hunt and fish." 17An important resource 18Greenland's decision comes at a time when some Western countries are considering ways to break free of China in the production of an important resource. 19Rare earth metals have many uses, and last year China produced about 90 percent of them, said Toronto-based Adamas Intelligence. 20The only rare earth mine now operating in the United States is Mountain Pass in California. It is partly owned by a Chinese state-backed company that sends material mined in the United States to China for processing. 21As U.S.-China tensions increase, President Joe Biden's administration said last month it will reconsider important U.S. supplies, including rare earths. 22Greenland, a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, has a gross domestic product of around $3 billion. Its government wants to gain from foreign investments. 23Greenland's government did not answer Reuters' requests for comment for this story. Last month, the Acting Minister of Resources, Vittus Qujaukitsoq, said that if Greenlanders suddenly decide they do not want the second project, "we'll make a fool of investors. The credibility of the whole country is at stake." 24I'm Ashley Thompson. And I'm John Russell. 25Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Eric Onstad reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. edited it. _____________________________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27glacier - n. a very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land 28radioactive - adj. having or producing a powerful and dangerous form of energy (called radiation) 29indigenous - adj. native; from a place 30harmony - n. a pleasing combination or arrangement of different things 31make a fool of - expression to deceive or trick someone so that they appear to be foolish 32credibility - n. the quality of being believed or accepted as true, real, or honest