Brazil Critical Minerals
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Brazil mined an estimated 104,000 t of niobium in 2025, 93% of the world, and also ranks second in beryllium (19%) and iron ore (16%), according to USGS. On 16 September 2026 Brazil enacted Law 15,506, creating a National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals and a council that will define the official list. In rare earths, Serra Verde secured a US$565 million loan from the US Development Finance Corporation in February 2026 and agreed in April 2026 a 15-year offtake with guaranteed price floors and a combination with USA Rare Earth.
93%
of world niobium mine production came from Brazil in 2025, with Canada second at 5%
16 Sep 2026
date Brazil enacted Law 15,506, the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals
Source: Mayer Brown
US$565 million
financing package from the US Development Finance Corporation for Serra Verde, announced 5 February 2026
Source: Serra Verde
15 years
term of the offtake Serra Verde announced on 20 April 2026 for 100% of Phase I output, with guaranteed price floors
Source: Serra Verde
Which critical minerals does Brazil produce?
The table shows where Brazil ranks in USGS estimates of 2025 world production, and includes rare earths because of the reserve figure and the new projects.
| Mineral | 2025 production (USGS estimate) | Share of world | Rank | Reserves (share of world) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niobium | 104,000 t of niobium content | 93% | 1 of 7 | 14,000,000 t |
| Beryllium | 80 t of beryllium content | 19% | 2 of 7 | not reported |
| Iron ore | 420,000 kt of usable ore | 16% | 2 of 17 | not reported |
| Tin | 28,000 t of tin content | 9.6% | 4 of 15 | 700,000 t |
| Tantalum | 190 t of tantalum content | 7.6% | 4 of 12 | 40,000 t |
| Bauxite | 33,000 kt (dry) | 7.5% | 4 of 19 | 1,700,000 kt (dry) (5.9%) |
| Alumina | 11,000 kt (dry) | 7.3% | 3 of 19 | not reported |
| Vanadium | 5,300 t of vanadium content | 4.7% | 3 of 6 | 94 t (0.4%) |
| Lithium | 12,000 t of lithium content | 4.1% | 6 of 10 | 540,000 t (1.5%) |
| Rare earths | 2,000 t of rare earth oxide equivalent | 0.5% | 9 of 16 | 11,000,000 t |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 chapters. Shares are calculated by this site from the USGS country figure and the larger of the USGS world total and the sum of the country figures, because USGS rounds the world total. Units differ by row. Rank is among the countries named in each USGS table. USGS revised Brazil's rare earth reserves in the 2026 edition.
What did Brazil change in 2026?
Brazil enacted a national policy in September 2026 and attracted US and Japanese backing for rare earth projects. The table gives each item with its source.
| Item | What it does | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law 15,506 (National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals) | Creates the 18-member National Council for the Industrialisation of Critical and Strategic Minerals (CIMCE), which defines the official mineral list and reviews it every four years; a CSLL tax credit of up to 20% of processing expenditure within an annual limit of BRL 1 billion between 2030 and 2034; tax-incentivised debentures; a guarantee fund funded by 0.2% of gross revenue for six years; a public registry of projects; CIMCE approval for changes of control, significant foreign equity stakes and certain international supply contracts | 16 September 2026 | Mayer Brown |
| Serra Verde and the US DFC | US$565 million financing package to refinance loans and expand capacity, with an option for the US Government to acquire a minority equity stake; the company says it is on track for 6,500 t of total rare earth oxide by the end of 2027 and calls itself the only large-scale producer of critical heavy rare earths outside Asia | 5 February 2026 | Serra Verde |
| Serra Verde offtake and USA Rare Earth | A 15-year offtake with a special purpose vehicle capitalised by US Government agencies and private capital for 100% of Phase I output, with guaranteed floors for magnetic rare earths including dysprosium and terbium; an agreed combination with USA Rare Earth with terms not disclosed | 20 April 2026 | Serra Verde |
| Aclara and JOGMEC | JOGMEC will fund up to $3 million of exploration over three years for ionic clay heavy rare earth deposits, with an option for $1.5 million more and a possible 30% stake in one project; Aclara's Carina project is outside the venture | 8 September 2026 | Engineering News |
The official list of minerals under Law 15,506 is not yet defined, and full implementation depends on regulations.
Which of its projects has the European Commission recognised?
| Project | Stage | Promoter | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| São Miguel Paulista (SMP) Nickel and Cobalt Refinery Restart Project | Processing | Jervois Brasil Metalurgia Ltda. | Nickel, Cobalt |
The Commission recognises these projects outside the EU for faster permitting and coordinated support. A recognition is a status, not production.
Who buys Brazilian niobium?
Brazil's niobium goes mainly to China. USGS records that Brazil exported 92,000 tonnes of ferroniobium in 2024, with 49% of exports going to China, 17% to the Netherlands, 9% to Singapore and 8% each to the Republic of Korea and the United States. Niobium is used in steel and superalloys, as covered on the niobium page, and USGS lists reserves of 14 million of the world's more than 21 million tonnes in Brazil.
Which Brazilian projects has the Commission recognised?
The Commission recognised the São Miguel Paulista nickel and cobalt refinery restart, promoted by Jervois Brasil Metalurgia, among its 13 projects outside the EU. That is a permitting status, not production. USGS records rare earth production of 2,000 t in Brazil in 2025 against a world total of 390,000 tonnes, so Serra Verde's planned 6,400 to 6,500 tonnes a year of rare earth oxide, if delivered, would be a large increase from a small base.
Frequently asked questions
How much of the world's niobium does Brazil mine?
USGS estimates that Brazil produced 104,000 t of niobium in 2025, 93% of world output, with Canada second.
What is Brazil's new critical minerals law?
Law 15,506 of 16 September 2026 creates the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals and the CIMCE council, which will define the official list of minerals and approve foreign control changes and certain international supply contracts.
What is Serra Verde?
Serra Verde is a Brazilian ionic clay rare earth producer that secured a US$565 million financing package from the US DFC on 5 February 2026 and, on 20 April 2026, announced a 15-year offtake with price floors and an agreed combination with USA Rare Earth.
Does Brazil have large rare earth reserves?
USGS lists 11 million tonnes of rare earth reserves in Brazil, the second largest national figure after China's 44 million, but only 2,000 tonnes of production in 2025.
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Niobium
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Rare earths
- Mayer Brown: Law 15,506/2026 enacted, National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals (September 2026)
- Serra Verde: US$565 million financing from the US DFC (5 February 2026)
- Serra Verde: Agreed combination with USA Rare Earth and a 15-year offtake (20 April 2026)
- Engineering News: Aclara forms JV with Japan's JOGMEC (9 September 2026)
- Commission Decision C(2025) 3491, annex (São Miguel Paulista)
- Commission Decision C(2025) 3491, annex (4 June 2025)
