The seminar Advancing EU-Greenland Collaboration: Investments and Innovation in Sustainable Raw Materials and Renewable Energy took place from 1-3 October 2024 in the Greenland capital, Nuuk. An employee of the PGI-NRI, Radomir Pachytel, was invited to the Business Mission Greenland 2024 project, as part of the event jointly organised by the European Commission and the Government of Greenland.

The event was aimed at promoting and facilitating dialogue between businesses, research and government institutions, as well as identifying investment and research opportunities in the context of the implementation of the tasks of the EU-Greenland Strategic Partnership on raw materials, as well as clean energy cooperation under the EU Global Gateway strategy.

The seminar focused on industry chains related to the exploration, production and export of graphite, molybdenum and anorthosite, as well as Greenland's hydropower potential. It also covered the other raw materials of the energy-climate transition, including rare earths and other critical raw materials.

PGI-NRI employee Radomir Pachytel during the seminar ‘Advancing EU-Greenland Collaboration: Investments and Innovation in Sustainable Raw Materials and Renewable Energy’.

Radomir Pachytel 

Lumina anorthosite mine on a fjord in West Greenland

Finished product from the Lumina mine

During the face-to-face meetings, PGI-NRI's scientific and research offerings were presented to e.g., Lumina and Neo, which expressed initial interest in using the Institute's experience and equipment in their mining projects. Of particular interest may be the involvement in anorthosite research from the Lumina mine, which is currently working mainly with research centres in South Africa and the British Isles. A trip to the Lumina mine, located 80 km west of Kangerlussuaq, enabled the Institute to see the entire production cycle, from the extraction of anorthosite to its processing into pellets for the production of e-glass, plastics, paints and mineral wool. Greenland is an interesting destination for research projects, working closely with Denmark and the European Union. It has many unexplored areas and undiscovered reserves.

Greenland Ice Sheet

However, the growing mining industry presents interesting research challenges that can be actively engaged in.

Russell Glacier

Aurora borealis over Nuuk

Text and photos: Radomir Pachytel