© Getty Images

Annexing Greenland -

Since his first term, United States President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to annex Greenland. Trump’s claim to Greenland has made international news, inciting protests by Greenlandic Inuit, opposing Trump’s position.

© Getty Images

US security interests -

While Greenland is considered a Danish autonomous territory, its native population has advocated for its independence for decades. The Arctic island is, according to Trump, of critical interest for US security.

© Getty Images

Extensive mineral resources -

However, it’s not just because of its strategic location that Trump has consistently sought to annex Greenland. The nation also has extensive critical mineral resources,  which US consumers depend on for their technological needs. Pictured is lithium.

© Shutterstock

Trump's executive orders -

In fact, in April 2025, Trump issued two executive orders that focused on acquiring critical minerals. The first is aimed at generating tariffs on mineral imports, the other at speeding up offshore mining initiatives.

© Getty Images

Raw mineral deposits -

In Greenland, ice covers about four-fifths of the island. The 20% of the nation that is not under ice hosts well over 30 raw mineral deposits, such as graphite, zinc, lithium, and copper, among others.

© Getty Images

Production of modern technology -

These minerals are essential for the production of contemporary technologies. What kind of modern devices depend on these minerals? Smartphones, electric car batteries, solar panels, and even military systems.

© Getty Images

Greenland considered "a treasure" -

In fact, Aalborg University’s Sustainability and Planning Department considers the wealth of natural resources of the island to be “a treasure.” The Danish university points to how countries’ desire to control these resources is what drives interest in the Arctic island.

© Getty Images

China's monopoly -

This is particularly relevant to the United States, as China has nearly monopolized the mineral supply market. In fact, according to a 2024 report issued by the United States Department of the Interior, China is the top producer of 30 critical minerals.

© Getty Images

Trump's attempt to rival China -

By attempting to control Greenland’s mineral resources, Trump is trying to create a prominent rivalry in the global supply chain. This is especially critical for Trump’s administration amid tariff threats, as the US relies on mineral imports from both China and Canada to fulfill its needs.

© Getty Images

Afghanistan's natural resources -

Similarly, Afghanistan, too, sits on an extraordinary amount of natural resources that have been largely unexploited. Mining initiatives have been held back by outdated equipment and difficult terrain.

© Getty Images

Rare earth minerals -

In addition to billions of tons of iron ore, Afghanistan also has an extensive amount of copper, aluminum, cerium, neodymium, and other rare earth minerals. The mining sector is controlled by the nation’s governing body, namely the Taliban.

© Getty Images

Mining contracts since Taliban takeover -

Since the Taliban took over the nation in 2021, at least 205 mining contracts have been issued to over 150 companies by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum office.

© Getty Images

International mining deals -

The mining deals have primarily been issued to Chinese, Turkish, Qatari, Iranian, and British companies. While the details of these agreements remain hush-hush, the Taliban has secured at least US$7 billion from these contracts.

© Getty Images

Reforming mining policies -

One of the major challenges the Taliban faces in exploiting their mineral resources is infrastructural issues, mineral policies, and a great deal of corruption. The governing body seeks to reform mining policy in the country to create a more formal structure to facilitate greater mining potential.

© Getty Images

Global supply chain -

Like Greenland, Afghanistan’s reserves of copper and lithium are of particular interest to those who seek to dominate the global supply chain. Accordingly, China has taken a huge role in exploiting Afghanistan’s mineral deposits.

© Getty Images

Belt and Road Initiative -

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a global project that seeks to increase the nation’s influence and power around the world by securing strategic locations in exchange for the development of critical minerals. Afghanistan is part of the initiative, as China has swooped in after America’s withdrawal from the country.

© Getty Images

Argentina's natural resources -

Another country that is sitting on a wealth of natural resources is also the world’s eighth-largest country. Hosting the third-biggest economy in the region, the South American nation of Argentina has a massive reserve of critical minerals.

© Getty Images

Mining exports -

In 2022, Argentina’s mining exports were worth about US$3.8 billion. But according to the US Department of Commerce, the nation could greatly expand its capacity to reach US$18 billion as soon as 2030.

© Getty Images

Mineral resources -

The country’s mineral resources include uranium, lithium, copper, iron ore, gold, and zinc, among others. Argentina is one of the top biofuel producers in the entire world, namely producing bioethanol.

© Getty Images

Lithium brine reserves -

Argentina’s Puna Plateau, located in the northwest region of the country, hosts 80% of global lithium brine reserves, more than 70% of which have not been exploited, although this is set to change in the near future.

© Getty Images

Metal-rich Andes region -

In fact, Argentina’s Andes region is thought to be one of the globe’s most metal-rich regions, including vast reserves of copper, aluminum, and gold. Many nations and companies have their eyes on Argentina’s mines.

© Getty Images

Mongolia's "mineral miracle" -

In 2022, the Harvard Business Review published  an article that claimed Mongolia was “on the verge of a mineral miracle.” Mongolia, a nation of around three million people, living in a land just over twice the size of Texas, may be the next rich nation on the map.

© Getty Images

Wolf economy -

Mongolia has been dubbed the “wolf economy.” There are well over US$1 trillion worth of untapped mineral resources in the country, primarily copper and molybdenum, but the extraction of the nation’s natural resources has been plagued by environmental woes.

© Getty Images

Challenges of mining -

The economic promise and potential of the Mongolian mining industry have been challenged by environmental destruction, economic interests and crises, and political conflicts, along with a lack of transparency.

© Getty Images

Access to clean water -

Livestock herders in the nation greatly depend on access to clean water, which has been a big issue for the nation as mining initiatives use an immense amount of water and have threatened the freshwater supply.

© Getty Images

Unfair compensation -

Additionally, herders have claimed that the compensation agreements for their displacement are unfair. A complaint filed on their behalf argues that Mongolian herders were manipulated into signing contracts. The environmental challenges, coupled with economic pressures, have caused many herders to become miners.

© Getty Images

DRC natural resources -

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is another nation with an abundance of resources that has been maimed by extensive political corruption, private military interests, and smuggling, as well as conflict and violence.

© Getty Images

Global supply chain -

The DRC has an extensive amount of some of the world’s most sought-after resources; copper, diamonds, coltan, lithium, and cobalt have been center stage in global supply chain debates regarding the nation.

© Getty Images

Majority of world's cobalt supply -

In fact, over 70% of the world’s cobalt supply, which is essential for electric vehicle batteries, comes from the DRC alone. Yet, mining there is largely unregulated. Coupled with decades of violence, international military contractors are entering the mining game in 2025 with full force, breaking with previously state-owned management.

© Getty Images

Blackwater becomes key player -

The infamous Blackwater company, a private military contractor involved in extensive documented massacres that have resulted in civilian deaths, is taking a leading role in the DRC. Blackwater's role is a key part of ongoing negotiations between the nation and the US to secure mineral deals. Pictured is Blackwater founder, Erik Prince.

© Getty Images

Mine security -

Mine security has been at the forefront of the agreements. As part of a subsidiary of Blackwater, Frontier Services Group (FSG), which brands itself as a logistics firm that promises to secure extractive industries in the world’s most unstable regions, is taking a key role, particularly throughout the African continent.

Sources: (US Department of State) (USA Today) (BBC) (The Guardian) (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime) (World Population Review) (AZO Mining) (Harvard Business Review) (Military Africa)

See also: Why is cobalt such a valuable resource?

© Getty Images