Villiaumitic lujavrite, Kvanefjeld. Field of view is 1.75 cm wide. Click for link to additional photos.
Kvanefjeld (or Kuannersuit), in Greenland, is the site of a mineral deposit, which is claimed to be the world's second-largest deposit of rare-earth oxides, and the sixth-largest deposit of uranium.[1][2] There are also substantial sodium fluoride deposits, and Kvanefjeld is thought to be one of the largest multi-element deposits of its kind in the world.[3]
Lujavrite, a dark agpaiticnepheline syenite, occurs as an internal layer in the north Ilimaussaq complex. The uppermost sections generally have the highest rare-earth elements, uranium and zinc grades.
Kvanefjeld is already known among mineral collectors as a source of fluorescent minerals such as tugtupite and chkalovite.[6]
Exploration
The mineral deposit was first discovered in the 1950s. Much of the historical process development focused on uranium extraction, including a promotional visit by physicist Niels Bohr to the nearby town of Narsaq in 1957.[7] In 1983, the Danish government decided not to pursue the option of nuclear power, and work programs on Kvanefjeld ceased.
A 2010 relaxation of regulations by the government of Greenland opened up the possibility of large-scale mining.[9] A mining licence application to the Greenland government was submitted in 2015[10] for an open-pit mine.[11][12]
In 2017, the major shareholder of GME was Chinese mining firm Shenghe Resources.[10]
The mine became a significant issue in the 2021 Greenlandic general election, with the new governing coalition, Inuit Ataqatigiit and Naleraq, running on a platform opposing uranium mining.[13] The subsequent ban on uranium mining effectively blocked development of the mine.[14]
^Walsh, Maurice (2 December 2017). "'You can't live in a museum': the battle for Greenland's uranium". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved 15 February 2020. the Kvanefjeld mine has its booster in Ib Laursen, the operations manager who has become the public face of the project. A Dane who has lived in Narsaq for over a decade, Laursen is promising 2,000 jobs during the construction of the mine and a new harbour, and a further 800 permanent jobs (300 for locals) over the next three decades.
^Cecilia, Jamasmie (March 13, 2017). "Greenland closer to building world's fifth-largest uranium mine". Mining Dot Com. Glacier Media Group. Retrieved 15 February 2020. The proposed open pit mine in the southern town of Kvanefjeld is expected to process over 100 million tonnes of ore in the coming decades, helping Greenland to diversified its economy.
