Owner of the second largest rare earth reserves on the planet, Brazil has become a disputed terrain between mining companies from all over the world. A report by Repórter Brasil and the Associated Press reveals that almost half (42%) of the exploration requests filed until June with the National Mining Agency (ANM) were presented by companies based abroad, mainly in Australia, the United States and Canada, or by their subsidiaries.
Foreign mining companies hold 4 in every 10 rare earth projects in the country
Owner of the second largest rare earth reserves on the planet, Brazil has become a disputed terrain between mining companies from all over the world. A report by Repórter Brasil and the Associated Press reveals that almost half (42%) of...
Rare earths gained prominence because they are crucial for the manufacture of equipment such as missiles, aircraft turbines, electronic equipment, batteries, photovoltaic panels, chips and other technological products aimed at the energy transition. They became the reason for (more) a struggle between the USA and China, especially after the Chinese...
- They became the reason for (more) a struggle between the USA and China, especially after the Chinese restricted exports of rare earths to the American market, in response to the trade...
- This explains why one of the countries that has intensified its presence in the Brazilian rare earths market is exactly the USA.
- The US government has been supporting the country's mining companies in rare earth projects in Brazil, including financing USA Rare Earth (USAR) for the purchase of Serra Verde Group, owner...
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Rare earths gained prominence because they are crucial for the manufacture of equipment such as missiles, aircraft turbines, electronic equipment, batteries, photovoltaic panels, chips and other technological products aimed at the energy transition. They became the reason for (more) a struggle between the USA and China, especially after the Chinese restricted exports of rare earths to the American market, in response to the trade tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump government.
This explains why one of the countries that has intensified its presence in the Brazilian rare earths market is exactly the USA. The US government has been supporting the country's mining companies in rare earth projects in Brazil, including financing USA Rare Earth (USAR) for the purchase of Serra Verde Group, owner of the only rare earth mine in commercial operation in Brazil, in Pela Ema (GO).
Although companies linked to foreign capital represent only 12% of holders of rare earth applications in the ANM, they control 42% of all orders in operation or in pre-commercial operation – including 31 of the 45 most advanced processes.
The data reveals that 11 of the 20 companies with the highest number of requests are linked to foreign investors, with emphasis on Australian mining companies, which total 695 mining requests. Almost a third of them (217) were made by Borborema Recursos Minerais, a subsidiary of Brazilian Rare Earths Ptu Ltd, based in Sydney. US companies respond for 347 requests, with emphasis on Alpha Minerals Brazil, incorporated by Rare Earth Americas (REA), from Texas, which responds for 181 requests.
The survey also shows the potential impact of mining companies' race for rare earths. In total, 25% of applications overlap with Conservation Units or traditional communities, or are within 10 kilometers of these territories. One example is the Carina Project, by Aclara Resources, with requirements partially overlapping with the Quilombola Família Magalhães Territory, in the north of Goiás.
Aclara has financing of US$5 million (R$25.9 million) from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the US government's development bank, specifically for the project. ANM has already granted mining authorizations, and the project is expected to begin operations in 2028. However, the quilombola community was only consulted about the project in July.