Why Trump’s Greenland focus could break China’s grip on AI-critical minerals

President Donald Trump’s push for the U.S. to acquire Greenland from Denmark comes amid rising demand for the critical minerals that can be found in substantial reserves on the Arctic island nation. Rare earth minerals , a term applied to a group of 17 elements including 15 metals, are used in a wide range of applications including artificial intelligence, consumer electronics, electric vehicles (EVs), aircraft engines, medical equipment, oil refining, semiconductors and military applications like missiles and radar systems.

China is the world’s leading producer of rare earths, with its mines producing 270,000 tons in 2024 – a figure which represented a majority of the world’s 390,000 tons mined and far outpaced U.S. production of 45,000 tons, according to a report by the U.S. Geological S