Political support for uranium exports

After 25 years of opposition to nuclear power and uranium contamination, a majority in the Danish Parliament has emerged in support of repealing the country's zero-tolerance uranium policy, reports Politiken.

If Greenland requests permission to export uranium, it will open the possibility for mining in the world's fifth largest uranium reserves at Kvanefjeld in southern Greenland.

Political support 
Uranium will be extracted as a by-product in the extraction of a number of valuable and strategically important metals used in electronics such as mobile telephones.

Uranium is used both for nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. Because of its great importance to national security, Denmark must grant Greenland formal permission, which includes lifting the ban on uranium exports.

The Social Democrats and the Social Liberals have made clear that they will not stand in the way of a request by Greenland, as long as international treaties on the control of uranium are observed.

Others sell uranium
This spring, the Greenland Mineral Resources Directorate will issue a report on the potential effects of uranium extraction on public health and the environment.

If this report does not express serious reservations, it appears that a majority of the Greenlandic parliament will support uranium extraction.

"We support uranium mining, as long as it is done in a proper manner and in co-operation with Denmark. If a host of other countries can sell uranium, we might as well too. It could prove extremely lucrative," said vice chairman of the Greenland Home Rule, Jens D. Frederiksen of the Democrats, to Politiken.