REE, Critical Metals Demand Surging as Western Nations Race to Secure Alternatives

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MiningNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Rare earth elements sit quietly inside electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, data centers, advanced defense systems — and much more. Yet one country dominates the mining, refining and magnet production, and global demand keeps climbing. That imbalance has turned the search for new, Western-aligned sources into an urgent economic and security priority. Greenland Mines Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRML) (profile) (link) has made a significant move in that race, announcing that it has applied to more than double its footprint in West Greenland, which could turn one promising deposit into a full rare earth district. If approved, the move could position Greenland Mines squarely among other leaders, including MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP), USA Rare Earth Inc. (NASDAQ: USAR), Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) and Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML), that are working to advancing rare earth and critical-mineral resources aimed at strengthening Western supply chains for critical applications. * The IEA finds that demand for the four magnet rare earths has doubled since 2015 and should grow by another third by 2030. * Greenland Mines announced that it has submitted an application to the government of Greenland for a new license that would more than double the company’s footprint across a known rare earth and carbonatite district. * Sarfartoq is a carbonatite-hosted rare earth project enriched in neodymium and praseodymium. * Greenland Mines’ filing arrived just days after a major geopolitical development. * The company's strategy is focused on advancing high-quality Greenlandic mineral assets capable of supporting diversified and secure Western critical-minerals supply chains. Click here to view the custom infographic of the Greenland Mines editorial.