Amaroq, a mine development company, has begun drilling at the Ilua Pegmatite rare earth element (REE) prospect in South Greenland.
The drilling campaign is taking place in the Nunarsuit licence area as part of the Gardaq Joint Venture (JV).
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It marks the company’s first exploration programme in 2026 and begins further assessment of an emerging REE target in the region.
The scout drilling is targeting three sites across a pegmatite system that spans at least 5km.
Ilua is located by the coast, offering accessible ground and terrain considered suitable for drilling operations.
This initiative represents the first subsurface evaluation of Ilua’s mineralisation, with the intention of examining its size, scale and potential economic value.
Surface sampling at Ilua in 2025 returned total rare earth oxide grades of up to 2.3%, with approximately 27% of content consisting of heavy rare earth elements.
The samples also showed low radionuclide levels, reported to be below the regulatory limits set by the Greenland Government.
Mineralogical reviews have confirmed the presence of minerals such as britholite, monazite and zircon, all bearing rare earths and considered to be processable, according to preliminary findings.
The 2026 programme includes geological mapping, channel sampling and additional mineralogical studies to clarify the geometry and continuity of the mineralised system and further inform its commercial prospects.
According to the company, previous surface exploration demonstrated significant REE enrichment in pegmatite bodies in the area.
Amaroq exploration VP James Gilbertson said: “The commencement of drilling at Ilua is an important milestone for Amaroq and marks the start of our 2026 exploration season.
“Significantly, the initial indications are that, as opposed to other REE-hosted mineralogy in Greenland, this pegmatite system is more conventionally processable and exhibits relatively low uranium and thorium content.”
The Ilua Pegmatite is situated within the Gardar Alkaline Province, a geological unit known for rare earth and critical mineral deposits.
Amaroq has indicated that updates will follow as drilling progresses and assay results become available.
In November last year, the company discovered conventional REE-bearing mineralisation within the Nunarsuit mineral licence area in South Greenland.
