Political situation in Brazil

US turns its attention to Brazil in the hunt for metals

In the hunt for rare earth metals, countries such as the US and Australia are starting to see Brazil as an alternative to China. This is reported by AP, referring to a review of mining permits.

The number of applications for mining permits has skyrocketed in the past three years, and a large proportion comes from foreign mining companies.

The surge comes after China restricted the export of rare earth metals last year.

No Chinese companies have so far applied to mine rare earth metals in Brazil, but according to AP's analysis, they have shown some interest. China's deposits are estimated to be twice as large as Brazil's.

– The challenge today is that China dominates processing and refining, says Brazilian lawmaker Zé Silva, who wants to legislate for foreign mining companies to process rare earth metals in Brazil.

Extraction of rare earth metals could become a threat to the Amazon

Brazil has relatively large deposits of rare earth metals, and countries such as the United States and Australia are increasingly applying to extract them. This is reported by the AP in collaboration with Reporter Brasil.

But mining, which in some cases can take place near protected areas in the Amazon rainforest, carries risks for the environment and climate.

The federal government has discussed measures to speed up the approval of permits. This has been criticized by indigenous groups.

“The rights of indigenous peoples are not negotiable. This must be clear to anyone who wants to discuss mining on indigenous lands,” Alcebias Sapará of the interest group COIAB tells Reporter Brasil.