Uranium mining company Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd (GMEL) said on 7 June that Greenland now has the regulatory framework needed to export uranium and to develop the Kvanefjeld Project, the only advanced minerals project in Greenland that would produce uranium. On 25 May, Greenland's parliament passed four bills to ensure that uranium mining and export is done in a manner that meets Denmark's international non-proliferation commitments, a statement said. On 2 and 3 June the Danish parliament passed legislation that creates the legal framework which will allow Greenland to export uranium. Under the legislation Denmark assumes responsibility for the application of international safeguards to ensure peaceful use of Greenland's uranium.
These were the final steps in an extensive programme to create the framework and regulations which would allow exports of uranium from Greenland while ensuring compliance with international treaties and conventions concerning trade in uranium, GMEL said. GMEL called passage of the legislation "a very significant milestone", saying it confirms that a regulatory framework will be in place for the development of the Kvanefjeld Project, in southern Greenland. The Kvanefjeld Project has estimated resources of more than 1bn tonnes of rare earth metals and 593m lbs of U3O8, which would be a byproduct. A mining licence application for the Kvanefjeld Project is under review by the Greenland government, GMEL said.
