Assessment of the mineral raw material potential in Denmark – methods and major findings

Abstract

Aggregates and other mineral raw materials are important prerequisites for the continual development of the infrastructure and economic growth of a country. The production of these raw materials in Denmark amounted to c. 4.5 m³ per capita in 2012, which was 57% higher than the average in EU and EFTA countries (UEPG 2014). In this perspective, it is essential to locate and assess the Danish mineral resources in order to plan future exploitation, especially in densely populated regions where both spatial competition for landuse and demands for raw materials are high. Here we present the methods used in a recent resource evaluation that for the first time includes Danish resources both on land and at sea and summarises some of the main findings of this analysis.