The US, Denmark and Greenland signed an agreement on military presence, but not on resource extraction

Brief retelling from RIA II

The United States, Denmark and Greenland signed an agreement that expands the capabilities of the American military presence on the island, but does not give rights to the development of Greenland's natural resources.

Greenland has significant mineral reserves, including 24 of the 34 raw materials included in the EU's list of critical materials.

The development of Greenland's deposits is complicated by natural conditions and a lack of infrastructure.

WASHINGTON, September 25 – RIA Novosti. The United States could wait years for permission from the Greenland authorities to develop the island's natural resources, while it is still unclear whether Washington will benefit from their development at all, says former American diplomat Jim Jatras.

On September 22, the United States, Denmark and Greenland signed a security agreement on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, expanding the capabilities of the American military presence on the island. However, the document does not grant the United States rights to develop Greenland’s natural resources and does not serve as a legal basis for the development of its deposits. Issues of issuing permits for exploration and production of mineral resources remain the responsibility of the island authorities.

“It remains to be seen whether the United States will benefit from the development of Greenland’s mineral resources. Even if this happens, it will take several years before tangible returns appear,” Jatras told RIA Novosti.

Greenland has significant mineral reserves. According to the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), 24 of the 34 types of raw materials included in the European Union's list of critical materials have been identified on the island. However, the volumes of many discovered resources have yet to be clarified.

Development of deposits is complicated by natural conditions and lack of infrastructure. About 80% of Greenland is covered by an ice sheet, which makes it difficult to study the underlying rocks and potential deposits, according to GEUS.