Ironbark leaves Citronen Fjord

This is stated in a stock exchange announcement from Ironbark, which changed its name to Skylark Minerals in 2025.

To Sermitsiaq, Naalakkersuisoq for raw materials, Naaja H. Nathanielsen (IA), confirms that the license is being returned.

Shutdown and cleanup

The next phase will be to initiate a shutdown plan and start cleanup work in the area, so that it can potentially be tendered out to a new player.

– We have been showing for some time that it was uphill for Ironbark in Citronen Fjord. And most recently, they have sent a request to return the license, and we are now processing that. Our task is now to activate the shutdown plan and find out how to clean up the area. When that is in place, we will look at whether the area should be tendered out again, says Naalakkersuisoq for Raw Materials, Naaja H. Nathanielsen.

Enormous quantities of zinc

In December 2016, Ironbark Zinc received a mining permit for the zinc deposit at Citronen Fjord. The business plan indicated that there were enough raw materials to mine 3.3 million tonnes of ore annually and ship 380,000 tonnes of concentrates. The mine's lifespan was set at 14 years with good opportunities for extension, and a workforce of approximately 500 people was also included.

However, the company quickly ran into problems with logistics in the far north, which is only navigable for shipping for 1-2 months a year.

Faulty sailing

To show that the project was feasible, the company set out in 2018 to sail the chartered cargo ship Nunavik to the license area with fuel and equipment, thereby showing potential investors that it could indeed be done.

However, as Sermitsiaq revealed at the time based on the ship's position information, the ship only reached the mouth of Frederick E. Hydes Fjord, after which it turned around, probably because there was too much ice.

Challenged by ice conditions

In 2018, the then center manager at the knowledge center for mineral resources and materials, Per Kalvig, told Sermitsiaq that location and logistics have always been the project's biggest challenge.

Naaja H. Nathanielsen has reached the same conclusion.

– Overall, I am not worried about mining projects in the north. But the location of Citronen Fjord is particularly challenged due to the ice conditions. So it requires not only a good resource and a stable market, but also quite a lot of logistics. And it is clear that it can weigh on a project. I think Ironbark has fought hard for their project. It is quite different to do mining projects in the north compared to, for example, in South Greenland.