Washington, Sept 29 (Sputnik/UNI) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested the possibility of jointly mining rare earth minerals in Greenland following the conclusion of a deal with local authorities.
On September 22, the US, Denmark, and Greenland signed an agreement to expand the American military presence on the island. "Sure, we will do it in partnership with them," Rubio said in an interview with Fox News when asked if the US had a chance to engage in mining the rare earth elements with which the island is rich.
The Secretary of State emphasised that this had not been a US priority, but the opportunity arose after the deal with local authorities was finalised. "Now that this (deal) is behind us, I think we have the opportunity to make good investments there," he concluded. Greenland possesses significant mineral reserves.
According to the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), 24 of the 34 raw materials classified by the European union as "critical" have been identified on the island. The exact volumes of many of the discovered resources have yet to be determined. However, the development of these deposits is complicated by natural conditions and a lack of infrastructure.
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