The agpaitic nepheline syenites may, with regard to their elevated contents of a number of rare elements, be compared with the complex granite pegmatites. Both rock types form highly evolved magmas under closed system conditions which prevent volatiles from escaping. Agpaitic rocks are peralkaline nepheline syenites characterized by the presence of complex rare-element minerals such as eudialyte and mosandrite, instead of the simple minerals such as zircon and ilmenite. Uranium deposits have been found in agpaitic rocks in Brazil (Poços de Caldas), China (Saima) and Greenland (Ilímaussaq), Nb and apetite deposits in Russia (Lovozero and Khibina). The type locality of agpaitic rocks, the Ilímaussaq complex in south Greenland, is characterized by elevated contents of elements such as Zr, REE, Y, Be, Li, Nb, U, Th and F, not only in pegmatites, late veins and contact fenites, but also in some of the rocks, especially lujavrite and kakortokite. The most important rare-element containing minerals are eudialyte (Zr, REE, Y, Nb), steenstrupine (U, Th, REE), rinkite (Nb, REE, Y, U), pyrochlore and perovskite (Nb, Ta), Li-mica (Li), chkalovite (Be) and villiaumite (F). Occurrences of eudialyte-rich kakortokite and lujavrite are presently being explored in the Ilímaussaq complex as sources of Zr, REE + Y and Nb.