Canada backs Greenland mine producing metal crucial to defence industries

Canada has given C$7 million ($4.93 million) in grants to a Greenland molybdenum mining project, a critical metal used in aerospace, energy and defence, Greenland Resources said on Monday.

• Greenland Resources is developing the open-pit Malmbjerg mine in east Greenland, which holds deposits of molybdenum, classified as a critical mineral by both the European Union and the United States.
• The Canadian government has signed an agreement for the non-repayable contribution through Natural Resources Canada’s Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration programme, the company said in a statement.
• Greenland Resources said Canada is the first G7 government to invest in mining in Greenland.
• Molybdenum is a silvery-white metal used primarily to strengthen steel and improve its resistance to heat and corrosion, making it critical for industrial applications such as defence and clean energy.
• China, which accounts for around 40% of global molybdenum production, imposed export controls on the metal in early 2025, heightening Western concern about supply security.
• Trump’s push to take control of Greenland has been rejected by Denmark and Greenland’s government but sparked a surge of Western interest in the Arctic island’s vast mineral resources.
• Although rich in natural resources, Greenland’s mining industry has been slow to develop due to bureaucracy and lack of financing.

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen)