Europe's Antimony Dilemma: Geopolitics, Greenland, And Battle for Critical Mineral Supply - Gabelli Healthcare (NYSE:GRX)

Group 1: US and EU Strategic Shifts - The US has prioritized critical mineral security, reshaping transatlantic relations and highlighting Europe's dependence on foreign suppliers [1][2] - The Trump administration emphasized Greenland's natural resources and strategic location as vital to US economic interests, aiming to diversify from Chinese-dominated supply chains [1][3] - The EU faces a dual challenge of strengthening defense capabilities and addressing vulnerabilities in rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals essential for clean energy and defense manufacturing [2][4] Group 2: Supply Chain Vulnerabilities - The World Economic Forum has warned of the EU's supply chain vulnerabilities, noting that China produces about 95% of the world's rare-earth oxides and supplies 70% of Europe's imports [4][6] - The EU sources 98% of its rare-earth magnet demand from Chinese suppliers, indicating a significant dependency on China for critical minerals [6][22] - Greenland is emerging as a strategic asset for European industries, with risks of falling behind in AI development and defense manufacturing without secure access to REEs [6][22] Group 3: Antimony's Strategic Importance - Antimony has become a critical mineral with strategic importance, particularly for defense applications, and Greenland has high-grade antimony deposits [8][9] - China, Russia, and Tajikistan control about 90% of global antimony production, with China using it as a geopolitical weapon in trade relations [11][12] - European antimony prices surged 437% between 2023 and 2025 due to supply disruptions, exacerbating shortages for munitions and defense technologies [15][16] Group 4: Efforts to Secure Supply - The US government plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into the mining sector to enhance domestic production of critical minerals [23] - A bipartisan group of US lawmakers introduced a bill to create a $2.5 billion stockpile of critical minerals to encourage domestic mining and refining [23] - Europe has a limited number of antimony miners, with demand expected to grow significantly, highlighting the need for increased supply efforts [16][18]