Is Greenland really an untapped land of riches?

NPR. When Greg Barnes was at college in Australia, he decided to study geology because the other subjects ended too late in the day. I couldn't catch the train home to see my girlfriend on a Friday night. Priorities. Am I right? Love, not academics. So Greg's geology career took him all over the world. He made a lot of money fixing up old mines. Eventually, he started exploring Greenland in the nineteen nineties. There, he found a mineral deposit unlike any other he'd seen. When I saw this thing, I just couldn't believe that something of this size and quality was then sitting out there. This is the indicator from Planet Money. I'm Darienne Woods. And I'm Whelan Wong. President Trump has ratcheted up his goal of acquiring Greenland in recent days. He announced new tariffs for several European countries unless The US takes over the island. Trump has stated national security as a reason for this pursuit, but at least one Trump official has said it's also about mineral wealth. On today's show, is Greenland really an untapped land of riches? And the story of an Australian geologist who found himself caught in the middle of a struggle between great powers. Support for NPR and the following message come from Edward Jones. A rich life isn't always a straight line. Unexpected turns can bring new possibilities. With a hundred years of experience navigating ups and downs, Edward Jones can help guide you. Let's find your rich together. Edward Jones, member SIPC. This message comes from NPR sponsor, Capella University. Learning doesn't have to get in the way of life. With Capella's game changing FlexPath learning format, you can set your own deadlines and learn on your own schedule. That means you don't have to put your life on hold to earn your degree. Instead, enjoy learning your way and pursue your educational and career goals without missing a beat. A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn more at capella.edu. This week, president Trump said he was going to meet global leaders about Greenland while at the financial summit in Davos, Switzerland. He said Greenland is imperative for national security. And while Trump has denied that Greenland's minerals are a motivation for him, Trump's former security adviser, Mike Waltz, said this on Fox News last year. This is about critical minerals. This is about natural resources. Greenland has large deposits of rare earth minerals, but no commercial rare earth mining. One company though is getting close. Geologist Greg Barnes investigated Greenland's mineral deposits in the nineteen nineties, visiting sites by helicopter. He was stunned by one site in particular near the Southwest tip. This one stood like a sore thumb. In fact, of all the geology deposits on Earth, this should be one that every geologist should go to before he dies. And there's hundreds of minerals, all unique, all very big. What excited Greg so much was a mineral called eudialite. Basically, think …