Greenland to end uranium mining ban

Greenland’s parliament has voted in favour of removing a 25-year ban on uranium mining, paving the way for an industrial boom that the Arctic island hopes will help it gain independence from former colonial master Denmark.

Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark, wants to step up its mining of rare earths, valuable elements used in the production of smartphones, weapons systems and other modern technologies. Uranium is often found mixed into rare earths, so the ban was blocking key mining activity in southern Greenland.