Brazil designates 27 critical minerals in push for domestic supply chain

Brazil has designated 27 critical minerals as the country seeks to accelerate mineral projects, develop the sector domestically and reduce its reliance on exporting raw materials.

The National Council for Industrialization of Critical and Strategic Minerals (CIMCE) approved the list on Nov. 5, dividing the minerals into three priority groups based on their importance to national security, industrial development and supply chain resilience. The classification will help determine which mining projects qualify for federal support.

Brazil hopes to capture more value from its mineral resources by encouraging investment in refining and manufacturing rather than relying primarily on raw material exports.

Under the new government strategy, only the 27 minerals on the list and nationally registered projects will be eligible for government support.

The council identified nine high-priority minerals: rare earths, graphite, lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, silicon and uranium. The government said high-priority minerals carry high geopolitical risk, strong global demand and a low substitution rate for other materials, CNN Brasil reported.

Eight minerals fall into the medium-priority category: tungsten, chrome, vanadium, tantalum, titanium, phosphate, potassium and sulfur. The remaining 10 are classified as lower priority: niobium, tin, iron, zinc, gold, magnesium, molybdenum, thorium, aluminum and platinum group metals.

The classifications will be reviewed every four years to account for economic, technological and geopolitical developments.

The list will allow the government to direct financing toward projects that strengthen domestic mineral production and processing. The rules for approving or rejecting projects have yet to be defined.

The council also created a fund to reduce risks and expand investment in the sector, known as FGAM. It can receive up to R$2 billion (about $364 million) from the federal government, as well as additional contributions from local and state governments and private investors.

A separate Federal Program for Critical and Strategic Minerals (PFMCE) will have an annual funding limit of R$1 billion ($180 million) between 2030 and 2034 to enable companies to invest in mining development and transformation.