Brazil identified as untapped giant in global rare‑earth market

Brazil holds about 25% of the world’s rare‑earth reserves but accounts for less than 1% of extraction, making it a “sleeping giant” in a critical mineral sector, according to Philipe Moura, strategy director at Eurasia. Moura emphasized the geopolitical shift that has heightened the value of hard assets such as rare earths, which are essential for chips, artificial intelligence, defence and energy systems.

He argued that Brazil’s geological advantage does not automatically translate into economic benefit. Scaling extraction and refining will require long‑term investment cycles of five to ten years, seed capital, and willingness to take risk. A coordinated effort among government, private firms and academia is needed, with the government acting as a strong inducer to provide legal certainty and attract foreign investors, including interest from non‑traditional partners. Ongoing bilateral discussions with the United States and the country’s election year could influence policy development and the passage of related legislation.