A case regarding the refusal of mining operations at Kvanefjeld against the Greenland Self-Government will be heard at the Greenland High Court and not the Copenhagen City Court. The Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut, announced this on Tuesday after a decision by the Copenhagen City Court.
In the case, an Australian mining company was granted permission to investigate the possibilities for mining operations at the uranium-rich Kvanefjeld in South Greenland. However, after an election in 2021, where mining was the main theme, the extraction of radioactive uranium was banned. The project fell through, and this prompted the company to file cases in both Denmark and Greenland.
After this week's decision, according to the Greenlandic government, it is clear that the case against Greenlandic authorities will be heard at the Greenland High Court. A date for the first hearing has not yet been set. Meanwhile, only the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities will be considered a party to the case in Copenhagen, writes Naalakkersuisut.
Both the Greenlandic government and the company Energy Transition Minerals view this week's decision positively.
- Naalakkersuisut has maintained the view throughout that the case should be brought before a court in Greenland as the first instance, and we therefore look forward to the case continuing at the High Court in Greenland, says the Greenlandic Minister of Mineral Resources, Naaja Nathanielsen.
Meanwhile, the Australian company Energy Transition Minerals (ETM) declares that "clarity" has now been created.
- We are convinced that we have a strong case, and therefore we want an efficient arbitration or trial process without further unnecessary delays. For ETM, the key point is that the Kuannersuit project (Kvanefjeld, ed.) was wrongfully put on hold, says ETM CEO Daniel Mamadou in a press release.
The Australian company describes that a two-track procedure has been established - a "main case" in Greenland and then a case in Denmark that can continue after the case in Greenland has ended.
ETM has also tried to have the case brought before an arbitration court. A few weeks ago, it was initially rejected that it could be brought there. In connection with the case at the arbitration court, ETM settled its claim for damages at over 70 billion kroner in 2023.
/ritzau/
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