Critical Metals Corp advances European Lithium merger with 99.96% shareholder approval while settling a $12.3M Jett Capital dispute. What investors need
Project Profile
Tanbreez/Kringlerne
Operator
Tanbreez Mining, Critical Metals Corp
Country
Greenland
Ore type
Eudialyte
Key Facts
- Operator
- Tanbreez Mining, Critical Metals Corp
- Country
- Greenland
- Ore type
- Eudialyte
- Status
- Permitting
- Target elements
Overview
About Tanbreez/Kringlerne
Tanbreez is a rare earth and zirconium deposit in South Greenland, hosted in layered rock rich in the mineral eudialyte. Heavy rare earths make up about 27% of its total rare earths, according to owner Critical Metals Corp (company site), and the project's technical report says its uranium and thorium levels are very low. As of October 2026, Greenland has approved its mining and closure plans through 2050, but construction still needs operating permits. In March 2026 Critical Metals targeted first ore for late 2028 or early 2029 (REEx, March 2026).
Where Tanbreez is
The deposit lies in the southern part of the Ilímaussaq Alkaline Complex, according to the project's March 2025 S-K 1300 technical report summary. Kringlerne is the mountain and coastline east of the Kangerluarsuk fjord where the ore-bearing layered rock is exposed. Greenland's government calls the license area Killavaat Alannguat, or Kringlerne (Government of Greenland, 2020).
Critical Metals places the site between Narsaq and Qaqortoq in Southwest Greenland (Critical Metals, October 2026).
What the Tanbreez deposit contains
Tanbreez is a peralkaline igneous deposit of zirconium, niobium, tantalum and rare earths. Its host rock is kakortokite, a rhythmically layered nepheline syenite, and eudialyte is the main rare earth mineral, with zirconium and niobium also in catapleiite (technical report).
The first S-K 1300 mineral resource, reported in March 2025, is about 45 million metric tons (Critical Metals). The 4.7 billion metric tons often quoted for Tanbreez is a conceptual estimate of the kakortokite host rock, not a resource (technical report).
Tanbreez license and approvals (as of October 2026)
License MIN 2020-54 is held by Tanbreez Mining Greenland A/S and covers 18 square kilometers. Granted on September 8, 2020, it runs 30 years to September 7, 2050 and gives the right to exploit elements found in eudialyte (technical report).
The 2020 terms exclude extraction of radioactive elements. They allow eudialyte to be processed in a chemical plant abroad until December 31, 2035, and in Greenland after that unless Tanbreez applies for, and the government approves, an exception (Government of Greenland).
On September 29, 2026, Greenland approved the mining plan and closure plan, valid until September 8, 2050 (Critical Metals, October 5, 2026). They cover 19 elements, including dysprosium, terbium, yttrium, neodymium, praseodymium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum and niobium. Construction still needs operating permits under sections 120 and 121 of the Mineral Activities Act.
Who owns Tanbreez (as of October 2026)
Critical Metals reached 42% in July 2024 through a purchase from Rimbal Pty Ltd (Critical Metals, July 2024). Greenland approved its increase to 92.5% on April 17, 2026 (Critical Metals, May 2026), and the company announced the closing on April 30 (Critical Metals, April 2026).
In May 2026 Critical Metals signed a scheme implementation deed to acquire European Lithium, which holds the other 7.5% of license holder Tanbreez Mining Greenland A/S (Critical Metals, April 30, 2026; Form 20-F, fiscal 2026). The scheme was scheduled to complete in early November 2026, subject to a shareholder vote on October 22 and Australian court approval (scheme booklet).
Offtakes and financing (as of October 2026)
Critical Metals announced a binding 15-year offtake with REalloys on May 21, 2026, with priority on dysprosium- and terbium-rich volumes. The company puts the volume at 15% of Tanbreez's annual concentrate production (Critical Metals, May 2026), while REEx's October 2026 coverage describes it as 15% of Phase 1 concentrate.
An August 2025 agreement with Ucore Rare Metals for up to 10,000 metric tons a year of concentrate is a letter of intent (Critical Metals, August 2025). Critical Metals' Form 20-F for fiscal 2026 says it has not yet entered a binding agreement with Ucore and there is no guarantee it will.
In June 2025 the U.S. Export-Import Bank issued a letter of interest to consider up to $120 million of financing (Critical Metals, June 2025). The letter expired on June 14, 2026, and Critical Metals says it has applied to renew it (Form 20-F, fiscal 2026). Reuters reported in October 2025 that Trump administration officials had discussed taking about an 8% stake in Critical Metals (Reuters via Yahoo Finance). The White House disputed the reports (Northern Miner), and no stake has been confirmed.
Timeline and what is still unproven (as of October 2026)
Critical Metals had planned a definitive feasibility study for the end of 2025 and now expects it by mid-2027 (Form 20-F, fiscal 2026). REEx lists the study, project financing and commercial metallurgical validation as the next milestones (REEx, October 2026). It also reports that no mineral reserves have been declared and that the earlier processing flowsheet was declared obsolete after new metallurgical work (REEx, October 2026).
Critical Metals reported more than 99% dissolution of Tanbreez eudialyte concentrate in testing, but industrial-scale separation and its economics have not been demonstrated at commercial scale (REEx, September 2026).
Why Tanbreez matters for heavy rare earth supply
The approvals name dysprosium and terbium, which the REalloys deal prioritizes, and the project's technical report says uranium and thorium levels are very low. That sets it apart from Kvanefjeld, a uranium-bearing project in the same Ilímaussaq complex. Kvanefjeld was blocked when Greenland's parliament reinstated a near-complete ban on uranium mining in November 2021 (Arctic Today). Until the feasibility study, operating permits and financing are in place, that heavy rare earth output remains a company target.
Where is the Tanbreez rare earth deposit?
Tanbreez is in South Greenland, in the southern part of the Ilímaussaq Alkaline Complex, between Narsaq and Qaqortoq. Greenland's government calls the license area Killavaat Alannguat, or Kringlerne; Kringlerne is the mountain and coastline where the ore-bearing layered rock is exposed.
Who owns Tanbreez?
As of October 2026, Critical Metals Corp owns 92.5% of Tanbreez Mining Greenland A/S, the license holder, after Greenland approved the increase on April 17, 2026. A scheme to acquire European Lithium, which holds the other 7.5%, was scheduled to complete in early November 2026, subject to shareholder and court approval.
What minerals and metals does Tanbreez contain?
The main rare earth mineral is eudialyte, hosted in a layered rock called kakortokite, and the deposit also carries zirconium, niobium and tantalum. Critical Metals says heavy rare earths make up about 27% of the deposit's total rare earths, and the 2026 mining approvals cover 19 elements, including dysprosium, terbium, neodymium and praseodymium.
Is Tanbreez approved for mining, and when could production start?
Greenland approved the mining and closure plans on September 29, 2026, valid until September 8, 2050, under exploitation license MIN 2020-54. Construction still needs operating permits and financial security. In March 2026 Critical Metals targeted first ore in late 2028 or early 2029. As of October 2026 no mineral reserves have been declared, and the company expects its feasibility study by mid-2027.
Does Tanbreez contain uranium?
The project's technical report says Tanbreez contains very low levels of uranium and thorium, and Greenland's government said in 2020 that the license does not cover extraction of radioactive elements. Greenland's 2021 near-complete ban on uranium mining blocked Kvanefjeld, a uranium-bearing project in the same complex.
Has the U.S. government invested in Tanbreez?
Not as of October 2026. The U.S. Export-Import Bank issued a non-binding letter of interest for up to $120 million in June 2025. It expired on June 14, 2026, and Critical Metals says a renewal application is in progress. Reuters reported in October 2025 that officials had discussed an 8% stake in Critical Metals, but the White House disputed the reports and no stake has been confirmed.
Related
Project Data
Resource estimates, grades and rankings for Tanbreez/Kringlerne are in REEx Insights, along with data on every project REEx tracks.
REEx Intelligence
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