COPENHAGEN – Public hearings on a controversial rare earth and uranium mining project in Greenland opened on Friday despite threats to local government officials, authorities in the autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic said.
“There has not been anything indicating a security risk,” local police told AFP, adding that “it is safe for everyone to attend.”
Located in the fjords of southern Greenland in Narsarq, the Kvanefjeld deposit is rich in rare earth minerals, a group of 17 metals used as components in high-tech devices such as smartphones, flat screen displays, electric cars and weapons.
Australian mining group Greenland Minerals, backed by Chinese group Shenghe, obtained an exploration licence for the site in 2010.
The public hearings, which are due to go on through June, allow residents to address their questions and concerns to the company, primarily regarding the impact of the project on the environment and society.
The hearings are a requirement before any mining licence can be granted, and are going ahead despite threats received by members of Greenland’s local government in recent days.
Cabinet members have however chosen not to take part, in order to ensure the hearings can proceed without disruption.
The threats “targeted politicians and not company representatives or authorities”, Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a statement.
In September, Greenland Minerals’ environmental protection plan was finally approved after three successive rejections, but opposition to the project remains steadfast.
Critics have expressed concerns about the disposal of radioactive waste extracted from the minerals, while supporters claim the island would benefit from a massive financial windfall that would boost its quest for full independence from Denmark.
Greenland is financially dependent on Copenhagen, receiving annual subsidies of around €480 million, or about 60% of its budget.
According to a recent report by the local government, Greenland could be one of the world’s 10 biggest uranium producers. The territory is authorised to exploit its vast mineral resources independently of Copenhagen.
In early 2020, exploration licences were granted for southern Greenland. French group Orano said on Thursday it had received two exploration permits to look for uranium in the south.
Greenland Minerals plans to mine three million tonnes of minerals each year, including 30,000 tonnes of rare earths, 15,000 tonnes of zinc and 517 tonnes of uranium.– AFP, February 7, 2021
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