U.S. considering investing in critical minerals mining in Greenland

The U.S. government is considering investing in a company’s critical minerals mining projects in Greenland, its CEO has told CNBC, ahead of high-stakes talks between Washington and Danish officials over the island’s future.

The projects are run by mining company Amaroq, which operates in South Greenland and is involved in extracting or exploring gold, copper, germanium and gallium, among other critical mineral deposits.

Discussions with U.S. government bodies about the potential investment opportunities are ongoing and haven’t been finalized, Amaroq CEO Eldur Olafsson told CNBC in an interview.

Deals could involve “offtake agreements, infrastructure support and credit lines,” Olafsson added, though he declined to comment on what specific projects the U.S. government was interested in.

When asked to comment, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told CNBC: “The United States is eager to build lasting commercial relationships that benefit Americans and the people of Greenland.

“President Trump reiterated the importance of Greenland to U.S. defense and underscored his commitment to the relationship by designating Governor Landry as Special Envoy to Greenland.”

CNBC approached the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) for comment but had not received a response as this article went live.

Olafsson’s comments come as U.S. President Donald Trump ramps up talk of acquiring Greenland, which he sees as integral to national security, following a dramatic military operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.

European nations have been scrambling to respond to escalating rhetoric about Greenland from the U.S., which has refused to rule out military action.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is to meet with officials from Denmark next week to discuss Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory.