The new research project Critical Minerals in the Arctic: Challenges and Perspectives for the Nordic Countries (CRIMINA) will explore how the Nordic countries can address the major challenges of mineral extraction in the Arctic – geopolitically, legally, and environmentally.

will explore how the Nordic countries can address the major geopolitical, legal, and environmental challenges of extracting these resources.

The Arctic is rich in critical minerals such as rare earth elements and lithium, essential components for green technology. However, extraction in this region presents significant challenges and conflicts of interest. How can we ensure both supply security and sustainability? What are the implications for Indigenous peoples and local communities? How can we minimize environmental impact? And how does this issue play into global geopolitics? These are the questions the researchers aim to explore.
‘The topic is incredibly relevant. With increasing attention on Greenland, the US, and China, this is a highly timely issue. It concerns security – both geopolitically and in terms of the green transition – as well as the dilemmas surrounding the West's dependence on China for critical minerals’, says Heggelund.

‘The Arctic is a key piece of Europe's supply security for critical minerals, but extraction must be carried out responsibly and with caution’, says project leader Heggelund.

This interdisciplinary research project brings together experts from a wide range of fields – from law and political science to geology and biology. The goal is to develop solutions that balance industrial needs, environmental concerns, and societal considerations.

Davor Vidas is the co-Principal Investigator for the new project. As a Research Professor in International Law and an expert in the law of the sea at FNI, he sees key legal questions that must be addressed. He emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary framework to fully grasp the complexities of critical mineral issues, which are often studied separately within different disciplines:
'This project will examine complex legal questions, both nationally and under international law. What responsibilities do the Nordic countries have when in relation to critical mineral resources in the Arctic, both regionally and in the EU context? To find answers, we will bring together legal expertise with insights from a range of other disciplines,' says Vidas.

The CRIMINA project will create a framework that helps policymakers and regulators make informed decisions as the critical minerals industry in the Arctic expands.

‘Winning in such tough competition is a strong recognition of FNI’s research environment and our ability to connect research with policymaking. Critical minerals in the Arctic are not just a resource challenge – they are also a matter of international law, geopolitics, and sustainability. This project highlights the value of combining legal and political expertise with insights from other disciplines’, says FNI Director Iver B. Neumann. 'It also fits well within FNI’s portfolio that we are building expertise that may be useful in other politically charged contexts, such as rare earth elements', he adds.

The project has won funding in fierce competition with leading Nordic research institutions. Out of an initial 199 applications, only 36 advanced to the second round – and in the end, just nine projects received funding.

FNI is leading the project in collaboration with key Nordic research institutions, including the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), the Swedish National China Centre, the NTNU/SINTEF Gemini Centre for Deep-Sea Mining, and the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland in Finland.

With the significant grant from NordForsk, the researchers will generate knowledge that provides decision-makers with a solid foundation for informed choices.

‘We have assembled an incredibly strong team across institutions and disciplines, and we are eager to dive into this crucial and highly topical research. We can't wait to get started’, says Heggelund enthusiastically.

The project will run from 2025 to 2029.