Brazil Study Says It Holds World’s Second‑Largest Rare‑Earth Reserves and Lays Out Industrial Roadmap

Overview

• The Ministry of Mines and Energy released a Cebri study that consolidates Brazil’s rare‑earth numbers and proposes a three‑phase national strategy to move beyond raw exports to midstream and downstream production.
• The report estimates Brazil holds roughly 21 million tonnes of rare‑earth resources, about 23.1% of known global reserves, making it second only to China in geological endowment.
• If projects advance as modeled, Brazil could add about 38,700 tonnes of rare‑earth oxides to world supply, a volume the study says would equal roughly 10% of 2025 global output.
• The study finds mining is competitive but chemical separation and refining capacity is near zero, and it models a 25,000‑tonne separation plant with about US$1.65 billion CapEx while warning that standalone projects are marginally attractive without subsidies, tax relief or financing support.
• Regulatory hurdles driven by naturally radioactive ores and overlapping environmental, mineral and nuclear licensing raise costs and delays, so the report calls for harmonized rules, targeted incentives and investor engagement to turn resource advantage into jobs and local industry.