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Greenland explores Arctic mineral riches amid fears for pristine region Greenland explores Arctic mineral riches amid fears for pristine region
(35 minutes later)
London Mining, a British mineral company, is trying to attract Chinese and other international investors to build a £1.5bn iron ore mine just outside the Arctic Circle in Greenland.London Mining, a British mineral company, is trying to attract Chinese and other international investors to build a £1.5bn iron ore mine just outside the Arctic Circle in Greenland.
The move comes as BP and Shell join others exploring for oil and gas in the pristine waters off Greenland, amid heightened concern that the wave of industrialisation will damage the pristine environment. The move comes as BP and Shell join others exploring for oil and gas in the pristine waters off Greenland, as concerns grow that the wave of industrialisation in the region will damage the pristine environment.
Greenland and the wider Arctic is seen as one of the new frontiers for exploiting mineral wealth, but uncertain national boundaries have also opened up potential political, if not military, conflicts.Greenland and the wider Arctic is seen as one of the new frontiers for exploiting mineral wealth, but uncertain national boundaries have also opened up potential political, if not military, conflicts.
London Mining, whose board includes a former British foreign minister in Sir Nicholas Bonsor, has already opened talks with Chinese mining group Sichuan Xinye and others about helping finance a new mine at Isua.London Mining, whose board includes a former British foreign minister in Sir Nicholas Bonsor, has already opened talks with Chinese mining group Sichuan Xinye and others about helping finance a new mine at Isua.
The project has recently received government approval and could see an influx of more than 3,000 construction workers into the country, which has a population of only 57,000, to build a port and pipeline to serve the mine. London Mining chief executive Graeme Hossie said the company was looking at "all options, including Danish, other Nordic, Chinese and other global investors." He said the competition for funding was challenging and it was hard to predict when it would be in place.
Currently there is no mining of any kind in Greenland, but the cash-strapped and semi-autonomous country is keen to break away from financial and political dependence on its historic owner, Denmark. The project has received government approval and could result in an influx of more than 3,000 construction workers into the country, which has a population of 57,000, to build a port and pipeline to serve the mine.
In October a newly-installed government in Nuuk led by prime minister Aleqa Hammond gave the go-ahead to the Isua scheme and a separate one at Kvanefjeld, while lifting a decades-long prohibition on the mining of uranium and rare earth minerals. At present there is no mining of any kind in Greenland, but the cash-strapped and semi-autonomous country is keen to break away from financial and political dependence on its historical owner, Denmark.
The vote in parliament scraped through by only 15 votes to 14 amid widespread concern about the environmental and social impact of major mining schemes – particularly those involving radioactive materials such as uranium. In October a new government in Nuuk led by prime minister Aleqa Hammond gave the go-ahead to the Isua scheme and another at Kvanefjeld, while lifting a decades-long ban on mining uranium and rare-earth minerals.
A social impact report undertaken by London Mining, which is backed by some of Britain's biggest pension schemes such as Standard Life and F&C Asset Management, accepted there would be some detrimental effects from its scheme: "The key risks and negative impacts are on a more social and health level such as social conflicts, vulnerable groups, risk for accidents and access to natural areas during the construction phase. Furthermore, there will be a pressure on the development plans and public service." Parliament voted to end the ban by 15 votes to 14 amid concern about the environmental and social impact of large mining schemes – particularly those involving radioactive materials such as uranium.
Last March the government of Kuupik Kleist fell in an election campaign dominated by an acrimonious debate over whether new industries such as mining and oil would damage the traditional Inuit trades of fishing and hunting. Hossie said: "London Mining has carried out several years of comprehensive environmental studies, all showing that the project can be completed without damaging the environment."
However, a social impact report prepared by London Mining, which is backed by some of Britain's biggest pension schemes such as Standard Life and F&C Asset Management, accepted there would be some detrimental effects from its scheme: "The key risks and negative impacts are on a more social and health level such as social conflicts, vulnerable groups, risk for accidents and access to natural areas during the construction phase. Furthermore, there will be a pressure on the development plans and public service."
Last March the government of Kuupik Kleist fell after an election campaign dominated by an acrimonious debate over whether industries such as mining and oil would damage the traditional Inuit trades of fishing and hunting.
In particular there was criticism that the Isua scheme could lead to thousands of Chinese arriving in Greenland with a wider agenda of controlling an area of vast potential mineral wealth to feed their own country's industrialisation.In particular there was criticism that the Isua scheme could lead to thousands of Chinese arriving in Greenland with a wider agenda of controlling an area of vast potential mineral wealth to feed their own country's industrialisation.
London Mining has been keen to dampen this speculation while the new government has insisted all staffing plans will be discussed with local trade unions. London Mining has been keen to dampen this speculation and the new government has insisted all staffing plans will be discussed with local trade unions.
The Kvanefjeld scheme has been proposed by Australian company Greenland Minerals and Energy and is aiming to produce uranium for a new generation of nuclear power stations in China and elsewhere. It also intends to mine rare earth minerals used in hi-tech weaponry and mobile phones. The Kvanefjeld scheme has been proposed by Australian company Greenland Minerals and Energy to produce uranium for a new generation of nuclear power stations in China and elsewhere. It is also intends to mine rare-earth minerals used in hi-tech weaponry and mobile phones.
Meanwhile major oil firms including BP, Shell, Statoil and ConocoPhilips have just been awarded new licences to join those handed out to ExxonMobil and Cairn Energy in the past. The offshore drilling undertaken by Cairn in the summer of 2011 put it into direct physical contact with environmental campaigners from Greenpeace who want drilling to stop. Meanwhile, oil firms including BP, Shell, Statoil and ConocoPhillips have been awarded licences to operate in the region to join those previously given to ExxonMobil and Cairn Energy. Offshore drilling by Cairn in summer 2011 put it into physical contact with environmental campaigners from Greenpeace who want drilling to stop.
The 30 protesters from Greenpeace who were jailed in Russia and released before Christmas had been arrested for trying to disrupt similar operations in the Barents Sea.The 30 protesters from Greenpeace who were jailed in Russia and released before Christmas had been arrested for trying to disrupt similar operations in the Barents Sea.
But wider concerns surround the uncertain national boundaries with Canada and Russia, which are among those keen to press territorial claims through a process handled under the United Nations Law of the Sea convention. But wider concerns surround the uncertain national boundaries with Canada and Russia, which are among the countries pressing territorial claims through a process handled under the UN convention on the law of the sea.
Canada alarmed other Arctic states before Christmas by suddenly announcing it planned to lay claim to the north pole. The move was quickly followed by Vladimir Putin promising to step up Russia's military presence in the region. Canada and Norway have already taken steps to increase defence spending in the far north.
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