Which Island is known as the Mineral Rich Island of the World?

Islands are often seen as peaceful places with blue seas, green trees, and sandy beaches. But some islands are special for another reason—they hide great natural treasures under their land. These hidden resources help in making energy, tools, and everyday items. Such islands play an important role in the growth of industries and countries, making them valuable not only for beauty but also for wealth.

Which Island is known as the Mineral-Rich Island?

Greenland is known as the Mineral-Rich Island of the world. Hidden under its ice and rocks are huge amounts of rare earth elements, gold, copper, iron, graphite, and uranium. These minerals are used in mobile phones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and machines. As ice melts, more land is revealed, making Greenland very important for future technology and clean energy. That is why the world is watching it closely.

Where is Greenland Located?

Greenland is situated in the far north of the world.

• To its west is Canada.
• To its southeast is Iceland.
• It lies between two major oceans – the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Even though it belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland controls its internal matters such as education, mining, and local laws, while Denmark manages defence and foreign relations.

Why is Greenland Suddenly So Important?

The modern world needs special minerals to make:

• Electric vehicles
• Mobile phones
• Wind turbines
• Solar panels
• Computers
• Military equipment

Many of these minerals are rare and difficult to find. Greenland has large quantities of them. As ice melts due to climate change, more land is becoming visible, making it easier to explore and mine these resources.

Is Greenland Really Rich in Minerals?

Yes. Greenland is one of the most mineral-rich regions on Earth. Scientists believe that the island holds minerals worth billions of dollars under its rocks and ice. Some reports say Greenland alone may contain more than 25% of the world’s supply of certain critical rare earth metals.

Major Minerals Found in Greenland

Greenland has many types of valuable minerals:

• Rare Earth Elements (REEs): Used in smartphones, electric motors, wind turbines, and fighter jets.
• Lithium and Graphite: Needed for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems.
• Gold and Silver: Used in jewellery, electronics, and investments.
• Copper and Zinc: Important for wiring, construction, and industries.
• Iron Ore: Used to make steel for buildings, bridges, and machines.
• Nickel: Essential for batteries and stainless steel.
• Uranium: Used for nuclear energy and medical purposes (mining is restricted by law).
• Diamonds: Found mainly in western Greenland.
• Titanium and Vanadium: Used in aircraft, defence equipment, and energy storage.
• Tungsten: Used in cutting tools and military equipment.

Why Greenland has So Many Minerals?

There are three main reasons:

• Very Old Rocks: Greenland has some of the oldest rocks on Earth, formed billions of years ago. These rocks trapped many valuable minerals.
• Melting Ice: As the climate warms, ice is slowly melting and exposing new land, making mineral exploration easier.
• Global Demand: The world needs more minerals for clean energy and modern technology, increasing interest in Greenland.

Rare Earth Elements

Rare Earth Elements are 17 special metals used in advanced technology. Greenland contains almost all of them in large amounts.

They are divided into:

• Light Rare Earth Elements: Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium
• Heavy Rare Earth Elements: Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, Lutetium, Yttrium, Scandium

Heavy rare earth elements are more valuable and harder to find. Greenland has a high amount of them, which makes it very special.

The Four Most Valuable Rare Metals in Greenland

These four metals are extremely important for green technology:

Neodymium (Nd) and Praseodymium (Pr)

Used to make very strong magnets for:

• Electric car motors
• Wind turbines
• Hard drives

Terbium (Tb) and Dysprosium (Dy)

Help magnets work at high temperatures, which is necessary for electric vehicles and military equipment.

Why Big Countries Want Greenland?

Many powerful countries are paying close attention to Greenland.

To Reduce Dependence on China

China controls more than 70% of rare earth processing. Other countries want new suppliers. Greenland could become a major alternative.

Some experts believe Greenland could supply over 25% of future global demand for certain rare earth metals.

Huge Energy Resources

Apart from minerals, Greenland may also have large oil and gas reserves under its seas. According to estimates, Northeast Greenland alone could contain around 31 billion barrels of oil equivalent, similar to the total reserves of the United States.

Control of Arctic Sea Routes

As ice melts, new shipping routes are opening in the Arctic.

These routes can reduce travel time between Asia and Europe by almost 40% compared to the Suez Canal route.

Greenland sits right near these new sea paths, making it strategically important for global trade.

Military and Security Importance

Greenland lies between North America and Europe. It is an ideal location for:

• Radar systems
• Satellite tracking
• Early-warning defence systems

This makes it important for NATO and Western countries.

Challenges of Mining in Greenland

Mining in Greenland is not easy.

• Extremely cold weather
• Thick ice cover
• Very few roads
• Remote locations
• Environmental concerns
• Strict local laws

All these factors slow down mining projects, but companies are still interested because the rewards are very high.