Europe’s drive to strengthen security of supply for critical raw materials is putting renewed focus on exploration, regional resource potential and diversified supply chains, as Pulsar Helium advances plans for its Tunu Project in East Greenland.

A technical study commissioned by the European Investment Bank (EIB) highlights the scale of investment needed for Europe to reduce its exposure to critical raw material supply disruptions and develop more secure domestic and regional resources.

The EIB study found that Europe has significant untapped mineral potential but that decades of underinvestment have left too few exploration projects sufficiently advanced to move towards development.

The report estimates that annual mineral exploration spending in the European Union will need to rise tenfold, from about €200 million ($231 million) to €2 billion over the next five years, to support domestic extraction objectives under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act.

In 2024, the EU accounted for only 3 per cent of global mineral exploration budgets, compared with 20 per cent for Canada and 16 per cent for Australia.

The EIB said higher investment alone will not address the exploration gap. It called for more predictable permitting processes, improved geological data, stronger public awareness of the importance of raw materials, targeted financial incentives and greater support for innovation.

Although helium is not among the critical raw materials specifically assessed in the study, similar supply-security concerns are increasingly evident in the global helium market.

Helium is essential to semiconductor manufacturing, medical imaging, aerospace and scientific applications, while high-purity helium and helium-3 are also gaining importance in quantum technologies.

Recent geopolitical developments have highlighted the vulnerability of global helium supplies.

An interruption to production in Qatar earlier this year removed close to one-third of global helium output from the market, contributing to higher prices and renewed concerns over supply security.

Russia also introduced restrictions on helium exports in April 2026, while China imposed a temporary export ban in July.

The developments have increased pressure on helium-dependent industries to diversify supply sources and identify production closer to major markets.

Against this backdrop, Greenland is emerging as a potential European-facing source of primary helium.

Pulsar is focusing on its 100 per cent-owned Tunu Project in East Greenland, where naturally occurring helium has already been identified.

The company holds an exploration licence covering 62 square kilometres in the Liverpool Land region.

Pulsar is the first company to pursue helium exploration in Greenland and holds the country’s only licence granting exclusive exploration rights for helium, hydrogen and geothermal energy, alongside other minerals.

Surface sampling at Tunu has identified helium concentrations of up to 0.8 per cent, with the gas not associated with hydrocarbons. Further work has indicated potential for an integrated helium and geothermal development.

An independent pre-feasibility assessment by Sproule-ERCE identified evidence of an active geothermal system beneath Liverpool Land, with estimated reservoir temperatures of about 80 deg C to 130 deg C.

Under higher-case modelling, the study indicated potential helium recovery of around 350 Mcf per day, alongside geothermal power generation that could support the nearby community of Ittoqqortoormiit and provide energy for helium separation.

For Pulsar, the combination of primary helium and geothermal potential could provide a distinctive development opportunity in a geographically strategic location.

While Greenland is outside the European Union, its proximity to European markets and political relationship with Denmark could support its role in future regional resource supply chains.

The EIB’s findings reinforce the broader importance of exploration in strengthening economic and technological security.

For Pulsar, Tunu offers an opportunity to assess whether Greenland can contribute to a more diversified helium supply chain as geopolitical pressures continue to expose vulnerabilities in established sources. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service