Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland
Denmark was one of the major producers of diatomite in the world
Pictured: chalk core
The Faroe Islands had no significant identified mineral resources
Pictured: gold ore with pyrrhotite, galena, sphalerite, and pyrite
In 2024, Greenland had one active mine: the White Mountain anorthosite (feldspar) mine
Pictured: feldspar
Statistics and information on the mining industry in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland.
Overview
The Kingdom of Denmark is made up of Denmark and the self-governing territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Denmark
According to the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Denmark was one of the major producers of diatomite in the world; however, the data included moler. Other mineral commodities produced in Denmark included industrial minerals such as chalk, clays, granite, limestone, quartz sand, and sand and gravel; metallic mineral resources were limited. Denmark also produced crude petroleum and natural gas in the Danish area of the North Sea. The gross value-added of the mining and quarrying sector accounted for 0.6% of Denmark’s total gross value-added. Of the total value of manufacturers’ sales in the mining and quarrying sector, production of crude petroleum and natural gas accounted for 63.7%; production of gravel and stone, 18.2%; and mining support service activities, 18.1%.
The Mining Code Act (No. 950 of 2009) is the primary mining law, focusing on the sustainable extraction of mineral resources in Denmark. The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) is a research and advisory institution that provides geologic knowledge and data, and oversees the scientific exploration of mineral resources in Denmark and Greenland. The GEUS operates under the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities.
The Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are a self-governing administrative division of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Faroe Islands had no significant identified mineral resources. The Faroese Geological Survey (Jarðfeingi) manages, advises, educates, and conducts research on crude petroleum, energy, and geological natural resources. The agency is also responsible for the administrative tasks related to hydrocarbon exploration and production activities in the Faroe Islands. The Faroese Geological Survey operates under the Ministry of Environment, Industry and Trade.
Greenland
Greenland is a self-governing administrative division of the Kingdom of Denmark, and is the largest island in the world, with about 80% of its land covered in ice. In 2024, Greenland had one active mine, the White Mountain anorthosite (feldspar) mine. On January 1, 2024, the Mineral Activities Act of June 13, 2023 (the Mining Act) came into force as the primary framework legislation for all activities regarding Greenland’s minerals prospecting, exploration, and mining. The Mining Act replaces the Greenland Parliament Act of December 7, 2009, on Mineral Resources and Mineral Resource Activities (the Mineral Resources Act); however, the Mineral Resources Act remains partially valid with some amendments. To develop the mineral industry in Greenland and attract foreign exploration companies, the Greenland Ministry of Mineral Resources approved “Greenland’s Mineral Strategy 2020–2024.” The GEUS is a research and advisory institution that provides geologic knowledge and data, and oversees the scientific exploration of mineral resources in Denmark and Greenland. The GEUS operates under the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. The Mineral Resources Authority (a collective term for the authorities within the Government of Greenland, including the Ministry of Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Science and Environment) is responsible for all aspects of mineral exploration and mining in Greenland.
2024 Reports
Full data release with tables here.
Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark is made up of Denmark and the self-governing territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. According to the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Denmark was one of the major producers of diatomite; however, the data included moler. Other mineral commodities produced in Denmark included industrial minerals such as chalk, clays, granite, limestone, quartz sand, and sand and gravel; metallic mineral resources were limited. Denmark also produced crude petroleum and natural gas in the Danish area of the North Sea. Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). In 2025, the gross value-added of the mining and quarrying sector accounted for 0.6% of Denmark’s total gross value-added. Of the total value of manufacturers’ sales in the mining and quarrying sector, production of crude petroleum and natural gas accounted for 63.7%; production of gravel and stone, 18.2%; and mining support service activities, 18.1% (Imerys S.A., 2025; Statistics Denmark, 2025a–c; Crangle, 2026).
The Mining Code Act (No. 950 of 2009) is the primary mining law focusing on the sustainable extraction of mineral resources in Denmark. The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) is a research and advisory institution that provides geologic knowledge and data, and oversees the scientific exploration of mineral resources in Denmark and Greenland. The GEUS operates under the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of the mineral industry of Denmark can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports—International—Europe and Central Eurasia, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/europ… (Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 2025; United Nations Environment Programme, 2025).
Production table
(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)
| Commodity | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bentonite | 433,000 | 329,000 | 447,000 | 297,000 | 370,000 |
| Cement, hydraulic | 2,490,000 | 2,670,000 | 2,510,000 | 2,030,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Clays, unspecified | 948,000 | 886,000 | 623,000 | 676,000 | 508,000 |
| Diatomite, moler | 423,000e | 444,000e | 528,000e | 375,000e | 380,000e |
| Peat, unspecified | 145,000 | 145,000 | 116,000 | 122,000 | 129,000 |
| Sand and gravel, construction, unspecified | 42,700,000 | 42,800,000 | 41,100,000 | 34,400,000 | 33,700,000 |
| Sand and gravel, industrial, quartz | 740,000 | 840,000 | 770,000 | 669,000 | 750,000 |
| Stone, size and shape unspecified, chalk | 214,000 | 230,000 | 352,000 | 302,000e | 276,000e |
| Stone, size and shape unspecified, granite | 162,000 | 430,000 | 428,000 | 189,000 | 524,000 |
| Stone, size and shape unspecified, limestone | 4,430,000 | 4,630,000 | 4,180,000 | 3,590,000 | 3,290,000e |
| Sulfur, byproduct, natural gas and petroleum, S content | 4,140 | 4,090 | 3,717 | 4,000e | 2,832 |
References Cited
- Crangle, R.D., Jr., 2026, Diatomite: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 76–77.
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 2025, About us: Copenhagen, Denmark, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://eng.geus.dk/about.)
- Imerys S.A., 2025, Minerals & more: Paris, France, Imerys S.A. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://www.imerys.com/minerals.)
- Statistics Denmark, 2025a, NABP10—1–2.1.1 Production and generation of income (10a3-grouping) by transaction, industry, and price unit: Copenhagen, Denmark, Statistics Denmark. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://www.statbank.dk/NABP10.)
- Statistics Denmark, 2025b, OMS6—Manufacturers’ sales by industry (DB07) and type of turnover: Copenhagen, Denmark, Statistics Denmark. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://www.statbank.dk/oms6.)
- Statistics Denmark, 2025c, RST01—Extraction of raw materials in Denmark by region and type of raw material: Copenhagen, Denmark, Statistics Denmark. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://www.statbank.dk/RST01.)
- United Nations Environment Programme, 2025, Mining Code Act (No. 950 of 2009): Nairobi, Kenya, United Nations Environment Programme. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://leap.unep.org/en/countries/dk/national-legislation/mining-code-….)
The Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are a self-governing administrative division of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Faroe Islands had no significant identified mineral resources. The Faroese Geological Survey (Jarðfeingi) manages, advises, educates, and conducts research on crude petroleum, energy, and geological natural resources. The agency is also responsible for the administrative tasks related to hydrocarbon exploration and production activities in the Faroe Islands. The Faroese Geological Survey operates under the Ministry of Environment, Industry and Trade (Faroese Geological Survey [Jarðfeingi], 2025).
Reference Cited
- Faroese Geological Survey [Jarðfeingi], 2025, About: Torshavn, Faroe Islands, Faroese Geological Survey [Jarðfeingi]. (Accessed November 23, 2025, at https://jf.fo/en/um-jardfeingi/.) [In Faroese.]
Greenland
Greenland is a self-governing administrative division of the Kingdom of Denmark, and is the largest island in the world, with about 80% of its land covered in ice. In 2024, Greenland had one active mine, the White Mountain anorthosite (feldspar) mine (available information was inadequate to make reliable estimates of output) (Biologyinsights.com, 2025; Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 2025b; Government of Greenland, 2025a, p. 6).
On January 1, 2024, the Mineral Activities Act of June 13th, 2023 (the Mining Act) came into force as the primary framework legislation for all activities regarding Greenland’s minerals prospecting, exploration, and mining. The Mining Act replaces the Greenland Parliament Act of December 7th, 2009, on Mineral Resources and Mineral Resource Activities (the Mineral Resources Act); however, the Mineral Resources Act remains partially valid with some amendments. To develop the mineral industry in Greenland and attract foreign exploration companies, the Greenland Ministry of Mineral Resources approved “Greenland’s Mineral Strategy 2020–2024.” The GEUS is a research and advisory institution that provides geologic knowledge and data, and oversees the scientific exploration of mineral resources in Denmark and Greenland. The GEUS operates under the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. The Mineral Resources Authority, a collective term for the authorities within the Government of Greenland, including the Ministry of Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Science and Environment, is responsible for all aspects of mineral exploration and mining in Greenland. The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of the mineral industry of Greenland can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports — International — Europe and Central Eurasia, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/europ… (Ministry of Mineral Resources, 2020; Law Business Research, 2024, p. 7; Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 2025a; Government of Greenland, 2025b, c; United Nations Environment Programme, 2025).
Production table
(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)
| Commodity | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feldspar, anorthosite | 20,000e | 30,000e | NA | NA | NA |
References Cited
- Biologyinsights.com, 2025, Why is Greenland covered in ice?: Biologyinsights.com, August 29. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-greenland-covered-in-ice/.)
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 2025a, About us: Copenhagen, Denmark, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://eng.geus.dk/about.)
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 2025b, Greenland portal–Resources–Significance: Copenhagen, Denmark, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://data.geus.dk/geusmap/?mapname=greenland_portal&lang=en#baslay=&…;
- Government of Greenland, 2025a, Minex No. 57: Nuuk, Greenland, Government of Greenland, February, 16 p. (Accessed November 25, 2025, at https://govmin.gl/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Minex57.pdf.)
- Government of Greenland, 2025b, Mining Act: Nuuk, Greenland, Government of Greenland. (Accessed November 25, 2025, at https://govmin.gl/exploration-prospecting/get-an-exploration-licence/mi….)
- Government of Greenland, 2025c, Organizational structure: Nuuk, Greenland, Government of Greenland. (Accessed November 25, 2025, at https://govmin.gl/about-us/organizational-structure/.)
- Law Business Research, 2024, Panoramic mining Greenland: Washington, DC, Law Business Research, August 13, 26 p. (Accessed November 25, 2025, at https://nunalaw.gl/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Greenland_Mining_2024.pdf.)
- Ministry of Mineral Resources, 2020, Greenland’s mineral strategy 2020–2024: Nuuk, Greenland, Government of Greenland, February, 28 p. (Accessed November 25, 2025, at https://govmin.gl/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Greenlands_Mineral_Strateg….)
- United Nations Environment Programme, 2025, Mining Code Act (No. 950 of 2009): Nairobi, Kenya, United Nations Environment Programme. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://leap.unep.org/en/countries/dk/national-legislation/mining-code-….)
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