Brazil's mining sector posts 8% revenue growth in first half of 2026
The Brazilian mining industry recorded revenue of R$150.7 billion in the first half of 2026, an 8.2% increase over the same period in 2025. Growth was driven by gold and copper, with gold revenue rising 44.2% to R$25.3 billion and copper revenue up 41% to R$20.6 billion. Iron ore, which still represented 47.2% of total sector revenue, fell 3.1% to R$71.2 billion.
Minas Gerais led state‑level earnings with R$57.6 billion, followed by Pará (R$52.2 billion) and Bahia (R$7.5 billion). Exports reached US$25.1 billion, giving the sector a trade surplus of US$20.3 billion, with China absorbing about 70% of mineral shipments.
The Instituto Brasileiro de Mineração (IBRAM) projects US$76.9 billion of mining investment between 2026 and 2030, a 12.5% rise from earlier forecasts, of which US$21.3 billion is earmarked for critical minerals such as copper, nickel, lithium and rare earths. An ApexBrasil study identified seven projects in the Northeast that could attract up to US$6.4 billion in investment for critical‑mineral development.
Individual projects highlighted include Aura Minerals’ Borborema gold mine in Rio Grande do Norte, which produced 31,352 ounces of gold in the first half of 2026, and Appian Capital Brazil’s underground nickel project at Atlantic Nickel’s Santa Rita mine in Bahia, targeting 30,000 tonnes of nickel per year and extending the mine’s life beyond 30 years.
Entities: ApexBrasil · Appian Capital Brazil · Atlantic Nickel · Aura Minerals · Brazil · China · Instituto Brasileiro de Mineração · Instituto Brasileiro de Mineração (IBRAM) · Minas Gerais · Pará
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Aura Minerals’ Borborema gold mine produced 31,352 ounces in the first half of 2026, with proven reserves of 812,000 ounces and an estimated life of 11.3 years. (35a16afb-d6b8-4c17-9767-e9e24a27e948)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Brazil's mineral sector revenue was R$150.7 billion in the first half of 2026, up 8.2% year‑on‑year. (IBRAM data)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] US$21.3 billion of the projected investment will be allocated to critical minerals such as copper, nickel, lithium, rare earths and others. (IBRAM projection)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Appian Capital Brazil presented an underground nickel project at Atlantic Nickel’s Santa Rita mine in Bahia, targeting 30,000 tonnes per year and extending mine life beyond 30 years. (d5cee0ca-5ffb-4007-9723-7ca1002e466d)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Iron ore accounted for 47.2% of sector revenue and fell 3.1% to R$71.2 billion. (IBRAM data)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] ApexBrasil study says seven projects in Brazil's Northeast could attract up to US$6.4 billion for critical mineral development. (ApexBrasil study)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Gold revenue rose 44.2% to R$25.3 billion and copper revenue grew 41% to R$20.6 billion. (IBRAM data)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] IBRAM projects US$76.9 billion of mining investment in Brazil from 2026 to 2030, a 12.5% increase over the previous estimate. (IBRAM projection)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Gold revenue rose 44.2% to R$25.3 billion in the first half of 2026. (fcf05db6-fb3b-4b28-a79e-76ff9241f998)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] IBRAM projects US$76.9 billion of mining investment in Brazil from 2026 to 2030, a 12.5% increase over previous estimates, with US$21.3 billion earmarked for critical minerals. (9f271de8-bdbd-4ca1-ae52-f35978bc7bab)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Brazilian mining sector revenue was R$150.7 billion in the first half of 2026, up 8.2% year‑on‑year. (fcf05db6-fb3b-4b28-a79e-76ff9241f998)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Copper revenue rose 41% to R$20.6 billion in the first half of 2026. (fcf05db6-fb3b-4b28-a79e-76ff9241f998)