Brazil has officially designated a list of 27 critical minerals. The move aims to accelerate the rollout of mineral projects, boost domestic mining development and reduce reliance on raw material exports.
The National Committee for the Industrialisation of Critical and Strategic Minerals (CIMCE) of Brazil approved the list on November 5. The committee categorised the minerals into three priority tiers based on their importance to national security, industrial development and supply chain resilience. This classification will determine which mining projects qualify for federal government support.
Countries worldwide are pushing for diversified mineral supplies. These minerals are essential raw materials for electric vehicles, renewable energy, national defence and high-tech industries.
Brazil seeks to attract investment in refining and manufacturing segments, moving beyond simple raw material exports to capture greater value from its mineral resources.
Nine minerals are classified as highest priority: rare earths, graphite, lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, silicon and uranium. According to Brazil’s CNN, these high-priority minerals carry elevated geopolitical risks, enjoy strong global demand and have few viable substitutes.
In a statement sent to news portal G1, Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy noted: “This list will serve as a compass for Brazil’s mining policy, delivering the industry’s most essential guarantee: policy predictability.”
Eight minerals fall under medium priority: tungsten, chromium, vanadium, tantalum, titanium, phosphate, potassium and sulphur.
The remaining ten are marked lower priority: niobium, tin, iron, zinc, gold, magnesium, molybdenum, thorium, aluminium and platinum-group metals.
The committee has also set up a special fund (FGAM) to mitigate industry risks and expand investment. The federal government may inject up to 2 billion reais (approximately 364 million US dollars) into the fund, with additional contributions from state governments, local authorities and private capital.
Separately, the Federal Plan for Critical Strategic Minerals (PFMCE) has an annual funding cap of 1 billion reais (around 180 million US dollars) for the 2030–2034 period, available for enterprises to fund mineral exploration, development and deep processing.
Back in September this year, President Lula approved 5 billion reais (roughly 909 million US dollars) for rare earth exploration. The latest package of measures forms part of Brazil’s broader strategy to grow its mining sector.
The committee and the government plan to hold another meeting before the end of the year to further clarify supply chain priorities and facilitate investment delivery.
Post time: Nov-11-2026
