Greenland, the world’s largest island, is attracting serious global attention. It lies between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans which makes it strategically important. In 2019, President Donald Trump made waves by suggesting that the U.S. purchase Greenland. Although his proposal was rejected by both Greenlandic and Danish leaders, it highlighted the growing international interest in the icy island.
However, history seems to be repeating itself, as Trump has once again expressed a strong interest in purchasing Greenland during his second tenure.
The idea of the U.S. buying Greenland stemmed from its advantageous location in the Arctic. As climate change melts ice, new shipping routes are opening, making Greenland an even more valuable asset.
Beyond its geographical importance, the island is rich in untapped resources such as rare earth metals, oil, gas, and minerals—critical for industries like technology and defense. With its vast mineral wealth, military significance, and new opportunities brought by climate change, Greenland is rapidly becoming an exciting and attractive place for investment, particularly in the mining sector.
Additionally, securing access to Greenland’s resources could reduce U.S. reliance on imports from countries like China.
Though Trump’s plan didn’t move forward, it highlighted Greenland’s growing geopolitical importance and opened doors for investments, especially in its mining industry. In this article, we’ll highlight three companies to watch in Greenland’s booming mining industry as 2025 unfolds.
Amaroq Minerals, founded in 2017, provides sustainable mineral solutions to meet global energy demands. Specializing in gold exploration, the company is actively exploring Greenland’s vast mineral resources. It holds an impressive license portfolio covering 6,072.5 km² in South Greenland.
As of January 2025, Amaroq’s market capitalization stands at around CAD 827 million. This reflects a remarkable growth of over 200% in the past year. The company’s recent accomplishments include discovering high-grade gold at its Eagle’s Nest Exploration Project and starting production at the Nalunaq Mine, one of Greenland’s oldest and richest gold deposits.
Moving on, Amaroq aims to minimize its environmental impact. The company focuses on responsible resource management and conserving biodiversity. By committing to sustainable mining practices, it plays a significant role in the global energy transition.
Critical Metals Corp is a pioneer in the mining of rare earth elements and critical minerals. The company focuses on recycling industrial by-products, including lithium batteries, to extract valuable metals for the energy transition. This approach supports the European lithium battery supply chain and promotes a circular economy.
One of Critical Metals’ most significant projects is the Tanbreez Rare Earth Mine in Southern Greenland. The mine holds some of the world’s highest-grade rare earth elements, including gallium, a metal used in the electronics and renewable energy industries. Critical Metals has been making strides in advancing sustainable mining processes, including partnerships to improve the recovery of these critical materials.
As of January 2025, Critical Metals has seen a tremendous surge in its market cap, reaching approximately $670.63 million—a staggering increase of over 550% from the previous year. The company’s growth shows investor trust in its ability to provide key metals for Europe’s electrification and energy storage needs.
Greenland Resources Inc. is advancing the Malmbjerg Molybdenum Project in eastern Greenland. This world-class deposit of molybdenum, with copper nearby, is vital for several industries, including steel manufacturing and defense. As of January 2025, its market capitalization is approximately CAD 90.15 million, a 43.92% increase over the past year.
The company has made significant progress in obtaining the necessary environmental and social approvals for its project. The company is also working closely with partners like Rasmussen Global to secure funding from supranational organizations such as NATO’s Innovation Fund.
Molybdenum is critical for military defense and technology, and Greenland Resources’ Malmbjerg Project could supply up to 25% of the EU’s molybdenum needs for decades. Talking about sustainability, the company is using wind and solar power to supply energy to the mine.
While these three companies are the top players, others are also exploring opportunities in Greenland’s mining sector. Brunswick Exploration Inc., for example, is an early-stage venture focused on lithium and other metals critical for renewable energy. The company recently applied for additional licenses in Greenland following promising discoveries of spodumene, a key lithium-bearing mineral.
Another notable company, Bluejay Mining plc, is advancing its Dundas Ilmenite Project in Greenland. It’s a crucial project for titanium, which is used in various industrial applications. Although recent updates have been limited, Bluejay’s continued efforts show Greenland’s vast mining potential.
“Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.”
As said before, Greenlandic and Danish leaders rejected the idea of Greenland becoming a U.S. territory, but the discussion highlighted the island’s rising geopolitical importance amid global power shifts and climate changes.
Despite Trump’s past comments about potentially using force or economic pressure to acquire Greenland, Egede expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation with Washington. He acknowledged why Trump might find the island appealing, given its strategic Arctic location.
Egede further reaffirmed Greenland’s stance at a press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen, noting,
“Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic.”
If we see the brighter side, Greenland’s importance is only growing. The island is becoming an even more attractive destination for mining companies looking to secure valuable resources. With companies like Amaroq Minerals, Critical Metals, and Greenland Resources leading the charge, 2025 is set to be a transformative year for Greenland’s mining sector.
The post From Trump’s Pursual to Mining Boom: Top 3 Greenland Stocks to Watch in 2025 appeared first on Carbon Credits.
Thorium is making a strong comeback in the global energy conversation. For decades, it remained on the sidelines while uranium dominated nuclear power. Now, the shift toward net-zero emissions is changing that story. Countries need reliable, low-carbon energy that works around the clock. As a result, advanced nuclear technologies are gaining attention again—and thorium is leading that discussion.
At the same time, rapid innovation in reactor technologies is making thorium more practical. Designs such as molten salt reactors and small modular reactors are unlocking its potential. This combination of policy support, technological progress, and climate urgency is pushing thorium from theory toward reality.
Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive metal found in the Earth’s crust, but it works differently from uranium. It is not directly fissile, which means it cannot sustain a nuclear reaction on its own. Instead, thorium-232 absorbs neutrons inside a reactor and transforms into uranium-233. This new material then drives the nuclear reaction.
This process may sound complex, but it delivers clear benefits. Thorium reactors or thorium-based fuel systems are more stable under high temperatures. They also reduce the risk of catastrophic failure, such as meltdowns. In addition, they generate far less long-lived radioactive waste compared to conventional uranium reactors
Thus, the comparison between thorium and uranium is the key to this transformation. We summarize the differences in the table below:
Another factor is safety. Many thorium reactors use passive safety systems that rely on natural processes, which lowers the risk of accidents. Uranium reactors, especially older ones, depend more on active cooling and human control.
Geopolitics also plays a role. Uranium supply is concentrated in a few regions, creating risks. Thorium is more widely available, which improves energy security and reduces dependence on specific countries.
However, uranium still has a clear advantage today. Its infrastructure is already in place, and it has long powered nuclear energy. Often called “yellow gold,” it is well understood and widely used with a mature supply chain. Thorium still needs new reactor designs, fuel systems, and regulatory support, so it is more likely to complement uranium in the near term.
For many years, thorium remained underutilized because conventional reactors were not designed for it. Today, that is changing. New reactor technologies are making thorium more viable.
Thorium’s abundance is one of its strongest advantages. According to geological assessments, these reserves could theoretically generate electricity for several centuries if fully utilized in advanced reactor systems. That makes thorium not just an alternative fuel, but a long-term energy solution.
Even when compared to rare earth elements, which total around 120 million tons globally, thorium remains highly competitive in terms of its energy potential, despite differences in extraction economics.
USGS data shows that the geographic spread of thorium further strengthens its appeal.
Asia-Pacific leads with over 55% of global share in 2025, supported by strong government backing, active research programs, and growing use of rare earth materials.
Countries like India and China are driving this growth. Rising energy demand and long-term policies are accelerating investment in thorium technologies. They are not just researching but actively preparing for deployment.
Meanwhile, North America is the fastest-growing region. Increased funding and private sector involvement are boosting innovation, especially in next-generation reactors that can use thorium fuel.
Together, this regional momentum is driving global competition and pushing the race for leadership in thorium energy.
Market research reports indicate that the global thorium reactor market is projected to grow from $4.56 billion in 2025 to $8.97 billion by 2032, with CGAR 10.1%. This growth reflects increasing demand for clean, reliable, and low-carbon energy.
At the same time, other broader market estimates suggest the thorium sector could reach $13 billion by 2033, growing at a more moderate 4% rate. These figures include not just fuel, but also materials, reactor development, and associated technologies.
Several factors drive this growth. Governments are increasing investments in clean energy technologies. Research institutions are advancing reactor designs. At the same time, the need for energy security and reduced carbon emissions is becoming more urgent.
These converging trends are positioning thorium as a strategic energy resource. While large-scale commercialization is still ahead, the direction of growth is clear.
The thorium market is still in its early stages, and this is reflected in its competitive landscape. Unlike mature energy sectors, it is not dominated by large-scale commercial players. Instead, it is shaped by collaboration, research, and pilot projects.
As the industry evolves, partnerships are becoming increasingly important. One notable example is Copenhagen Atomics, which has signed a Letter of Intent with Rare Earths Norway. This agreement aims to secure access to thorium from the Fensfeltet deposit in Norway.
This partnership highlights a key shift in how thorium is viewed. It is now being recognized as a valuable energy resource. By integrating thorium into supply chains, companies are laying the groundwork for future commercialization.
Copenhagen Atomics is also developing modular molten salt reactors designed for mass production. This approach requires not only technological innovation but also a reliable supply of materials. Partnerships like this are critical for building that ecosystem.
Thorium molten salt reactor, with the focus on low electricity price and fast installation
India stands out as one of the most advanced players in the thorium space. Its nuclear program is built around a three-stage strategy designed to fully utilize its domestic thorium reserves.
India’s long-term vision is ambitious. With its vast thorium reserves, the country aims to secure an energy supply for up to 200 years. This strategy not only strengthens energy security but also positions India as a global leader in thorium technology.
Companies like Thor Energy are leading the way in fuel development. Their work on thorium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel and ongoing irradiation testing provides valuable real-world data. Similarly,
Overall, the market is best described as a technology race. Companies are not competing on volume yet. Instead, they are competing to prove that their solutions work at scale.
The global push for carbon neutrality is a major driver behind thorium’s rise. More than 130 countries have set or are considering net-zero targets. Achieving these goals requires a mix of energy solutions.
As we may already know, renewables like solar and wind are essential, but they are not always reliable. Their output depends on weather conditions, which creates gaps in the electricity supply. These gaps must be filled by stable, low-carbon sources.
Thorium-based nuclear power offers exactly that. It provides consistent baseload electricity without producing greenhouse gas emissions during operation. At the same time, it addresses key concerns associated with traditional nuclear energy, such as safety and waste.
This alignment with climate goals is driving interest in thorium. Governments are exploring it as part of broader energy strategies. Investors are also paying attention, recognizing its long-term potential. Simply put, this phase can be seen as a technology race. The goal is to prove that thorium systems can operate safely, efficiently, and economically at scale. Success in this area will determine the pace of market growth.
The post From Uranium to Thorium: The New Equation Driving Global Nuclear Innovation appeared first on Carbon Credits.
The conflict in the Middle East is raising doubts about major carbon capture projects in the Gulf region. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage, known as CCUS, is a technology that prevents carbon dioxide (CO₂) from entering the atmosphere. It captures CO₂ from industrial sources and stores it underground or uses it in industrial processes. CCUS is seen as crucial for cutting hard‑to‑abate emissions from oil, gas, cement, and steel.
Before the conflict, Gulf plans aimed for about 20 million tonnes per year (Mtpa) of CCUS capacity by 2030. This would have positioned the region as a key global hub. But Rystad Energy says this is now unlikely. The pipeline may shrink closer to the lower case of around 12 Mtpa by 2035 due to delays and repriced risk.
The Gulf’s CCUS buildout has strong logical drivers. The region has abundant oil and gas operations, and projects often connect to those facilities. However, when the upstream energy system is disrupted, CCUS plans can be delayed, pushed back, or re‑evaluated. This change affects investors’ view of CCUS as a near‑term investment in the region.
One major risk from prolonged conflict is rising energy costs. If energy prices jump — which often happens during regional conflict — the cost to capture and transport CO₂ also rises.
Rystad’s analysis shows that a 50 % rise in energy prices could increase capture and transport costs by about 30 %. That could push the cost of capturing a tonne of CO₂ well above the price range expected by 2030 in the European Union’s emissions trading system.
Higher costs come from more expensive power, higher equipment prices, and slower supply chains. All these pressures hit CCUS projects hard because they are already more costly than conventional infrastructure.
Energy‑intensive capture systems need cheap, reliable supplies of power and materials. Rising inflation and disrupted supply chains could reduce availability and slow project build‑outs.
Longer project timelines may also raise the cost of capital. Investors typically demand higher returns when projects take longer or face greater uncertainty. In some cases, projects may only move forward if they are supported by governments or strategic partners, especially when the cost per tonne of CO₂ captured rises above key benchmarks.
While the Gulf faces near‑term risks, the global CCUS market has continued to grow. A large number of projects are being developed worldwide.
As of 2025, ~628 CCUS projects are tracked globally across all stages, with potential capture capacity exceeding 416 Mtpa if completed. Operational capacity reached 64 Mtpa from 77 facilities. The breakdown by number of facilities and total capture capacity is as follows:
The market is growing because many governments and companies have adopted emission‑reduction mandates. About 63 % of industries say these mandates accelerate CCUS deployment.
North America leads global capacity, accounting for about 46 % of total CCUS project capacity. Europe holds around 26 %, Asia‑Pacific about 21 %, and the Middle East & Africa roughly 7 % of the total project pipeline.
The oil and gas sector remains the largest user of CCUS, making up about 53 % of the global captured CO₂. Industrial decarbonization in sectors like cement and steel now represents around 25 % of the planned capacity worldwide.
Market research also shows that the CCS market size was estimated at about USD 3.9 billion in 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7 % to reach USD 6.7 billion by 2033. This growth reflects rising investments in decarbonization technologies across industrial and power sectors.
CCUS projects are growing, but still fall far short of what climate models recommend. A recent Rystad Energy forecast suggests that global CCUS capacity could expand to more than 550 million tonnes per year by 2030. That’s more than a tenfold increase over today’s roughly 45 million tonnes per year of captured CO₂.
However, this projected expansion is still far below what many climate scenarios require. Limiting global warming to under 2 °C often needs CCUS to capture nearly 8 gigatonnes of CO₂ each year by 2050 in many energy transition models. That means growth must accelerate sharply after 2030 to meet climate goals.
The IDTechEx forecast shows a strong long‑term outlook for CCUS. It estimates global capture capacity will hit around 0.7 gigatonnes per year by 2036. This indicates rapid growth, with a CAGR over 20% from 2026 to 2036. This would place CCUS as a major technology in global decarbonization, if investment and deployment scale up quickly.
For the Gulf region, rising geopolitical risk is changing how CCUS projects are evaluated. Many planned build‑outs linked to oil and gas value chains may be slowed or repriced as risk premiums rise.
Some analysts now expect that Gulf CCUS capacity may align with a more cautious trajectory through the mid‑2030s rather than a rapid 2030 build‑out. Moreover, the 8 Mtpa shortfall equals 1.5% of the projected 550 Mtpa global capacity, placing intense pressure on North America and Europe to accelerate.
Rising costs from energy price shocks further complicate the equation. With Middle East & Africa capacity shrinking from 7% to ~4% of the total pipeline, US 45Q projects and EU ETS industrial clusters must find enough replacement capacity.
Still, global drivers for CCUS remain strong. Governments and companies worldwide continue to plan and build projects. New technologies and integrations with hydrogen, renewable energy, and industrial clusters could help spread costs and scale the technology.
As many countries expand their net‑zero plans, CCUS will play a key role in managing emissions that are difficult to eliminate through electrification or fuel switching alone.
In this evolving landscape, the CCUS market is poised for significant long‑term growth, but near‑term geopolitical disruptions and cost pressures will require careful planning, strong policy support, and sustained investment. Strategic partnerships and global cooperation will be key to ensuring that CCUS can meet both economic and climate goals.
The post Conflict in the Middle East Threatens Carbon Capture Buildout: What It Means for the Global CCUS Market? appeared first on Carbon Credits.
Carbon buyers are asking better questions: permanence risk, additionality, co-benefits, and third-party verification, has all become vital considerations. The due diligence applied to nature-based carbon credits has grown sharper and more rigorous over the past few years. Yet one factor consistently sits at the edges of buyer evaluation: Whether the communities living on and around the project land are genuinely embedded in its design, management, and long-term success.
Guest post: Why China is still building new coal – and when it might stop
Guest post: Why China is still building new coal – and when it might stop
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