Greenland Security Pact Puts Rare Earths in Play, Reshaping North American Supply Chains

On September 21, 2026, Critical Metals (CRML) surged 38% after a security pact involving Greenland. This move, reported by Barron's and The Wall Street Journal, immediately put the Tanbreez rare earth project in focus. The following day, CNW Group projected the Rare Earth Elements Market to reach $10.44 billion by 2030. This growth projection and the Greenland development underscore a critical shift: the scramble for secure, diversified rare earth supply is intensifying, moving beyond traditional sources and into geopolitically sensitive regions.

The Mechanism of Rare Earth Supply

Rare earth elements, or REEs, are a group of 17 chemically similar metallic elements essential for everything from electric vehicle motors to wind turbines and advanced defense systems. They are not "rare" in geological abundance, but their economic extraction is difficult. REEs often occur together in complex mineral deposits, like monazite, bastnäsite, or xenotime. The challenge lies in separating these elements from each other and from the host rock. This separation process is complex. It typically involves crushing and grinding the ore, followed by flotation or magnetic separation to produce a concentrate. The real bottleneck is then hydrometallurgy: dissolving the concentrate in strong acids and using solvent extraction to separate individual rare earth oxides. Each REE has slightly different chemical properties, requiring multiple, precise solvent extraction stages. This process is energy-intensive, generates significant waste, and demands specialized expertise and infrastructure. The purity of the separated oxides directly impacts their value and suitability for high-tech applications. Without efficient, environmentally sound separation facilities, even a rich deposit remains just rock.

Companies Navigating the Rare Earth Landscape

Several companies are working to establish North American rare earth and critical mineral supply. Their strategies vary, reflecting different geological targets and processing approaches. MP Materials (MP) operates the Mountain Pass mine in California, a significant North American rare earth deposit. The company focuses on an integrated approach, from mining to processing. Recent news on September 18 highlighted MP Materials as its Chinese shareholder, Shenghe Resources, entered acquisition talks with China Rare Earth, a development that could reshape ownership structures in the sector. USA Rare Earth (USAR) is developing the Round Top heavy rare earth and critical minerals project in West Texas. The company emphasizes an AI-driven approach to enhance processing, as noted by Zacks on September 18. This suggests a focus on optimizing the complex separation stages. NioCorp Developments Ltd. (NB) is advancing its Elk Creek project in Nebraska, targeting niobium, scandium, and titanium, with potential for rare earth byproducts. The project aims to establish a multi-mineral processing facility. Critical Metals Corp. (CRML) saw significant attention on September 21 after the Greenland security pact. The company is involved in the Tanbreez rare earth project in South Greenland, which is now in focus for its permit status. CRML also has plans for a low-waste refinery in Romania, indicating a strategy to diversify processing capabilities beyond mining. Beyond rare earths, other critical minerals are also in play. American Battery Technology Company (ABAT) reported significant revenue growth for Q4 2026, with 407% revenue increase and positive adjusted gross profit, as per GlobeNewswire on September 14. ABAT focuses on lithium-ion battery recycling and primary battery metal extraction in Nevada. In the lithium space, Albemarle (ALB) remains a major player, though Zacks noted a stock dip on September 18 and analysts reset lithium assumptions. Lithium Americas Corp. (LAC) is also active, with its Thacker Pass project in Nevada. Standard Lithium Ltd. (SLI) is advancing its Texas Lithium Project, for which Equinor posted a positive PEA on September 20. Atlas Lithium Corporation (ATLX) is developing its hard rock lithium projects in Brazil. Ioneer Ltd (IONR) is working on its Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada. Pirelli (PLL) also announced a US multi-year investment plan of approximately €1 billion on September 22, though the specific critical mineral focus of this investment was not detailed in the news.

American Lithium Minerals, Inc.

American Lithium Minerals, Inc. (AMLM) is an exploration stage company, pre-revenue, trading over the counter. The company incorporated in Nevada on March 10, 2005. Its stated focus is lithium and boron properties in Nevada, with an intention to expand exploration and acquisition globally. AMLM's current project is the Sarcobatus Lithium property, comprising 1,780 acres of mining claims in Central Nevada. The company's activities since 2009 have centered on lithium exploration at Sarcobatus. AMLM has also acquired and divested cobalt, nickel, and graphite prospects in Central Nevada, and rare earth elements projects in Kingman, Arizona and Southeast Illinois. The company's Regulation A offering, qualified by the SEC on February 4, 2026, covers up to 80,000,000 units, with up to 120,000,000 additional shares issuable if attached warrants are fully exercised. Each unit includes one share of common stock and a warrant to purchase 1.5 shares of common stock, exercisable at $0.05 per share until December 31, 2028. The offering seeks to raise up to $20,000,000. AMLM states it is also developing the use of Real World Asset Tokens to provide capital for mining, aiming to tokenize mining assets for enhanced investor access and liquidity. The public record does not yet establish the commercial viability or operational timeline for the Sarcobatus project. The company's filings indicate that if it brings a mine into production, likely products would be a lithium compound and/or a rare earth concentrate.

What to watch

The rare earth and critical minerals sector will see several key developments in the coming months. Watch for further updates on the Tanbreez rare earth permit in Greenland, especially following the September 21 security pact. Any official decision or timeline regarding this permit will directly impact Critical Metals (CRML). For MP Materials (MP), monitor developments regarding its shareholder Shenghe Resources and the potential acquisition by China Rare Earth, as reported on September 18. This could signal shifts in ownership and operational control. For American Battery Technology Company (ABAT), observe announcements related to its battery recycling and primary metal extraction operations, particularly after its Q4 2026 revenue growth. In the lithium brine space, look for further engineering studies or permitting milestones from Standard Lithium (SLI) for its Texas project, following the positive PEA on September 20. For American Lithium Minerals (AMLM), watch for any updates on exploration results from its Sarcobatus Lithium property in Central Nevada, or progress on its stated intention to expand exploration globally. Also, any further details on its Real World Asset Token initiative would be a new development., { "label": "Concentrate", "note": "Initial physical separation of minerals from waste rock." }, { "label": "Separate Oxides", "note": "Chemical separation of individual rare earth elements.", "metric": "$10.44B by 2030" }, { "label": "Refine Metals", "note": "Further purification to produce high-purity metals." }, { "label": "Manufacture", "note": "Using rare earth metals in high-tech components." } ], "highlight": 2, "highlight_note": "Complex chemical separation is the primary bottleneck for non-Chinese supply.", "footnote": "Source: CNW Group, Barchart, Barron's, SEC Filings (Sept 2026)" }