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Rare earth mining development in Poços de Caldas

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-10 23:56 UTC → 2026-09-13 06:05 UTC · added removed

Developments regarding rare earth mining in Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, have progressed from regulatory and scientific oversight toward strategic industrialization efforts. Initially, the Rare Earth Committee sought technical clarifications from a mining company regarding community concerns such as safety, water resources, and infrastructure. Concurrently, the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais debated the creation of the Center for Intelligence and Advanced Technology in Rare Earths (Citar) to bolster research and environmental monitoring through a partnership between the Federal Institute of South Minas and the Federal University of Alfenas. Following these regulatory and research initiatives, the Poços de Caldas City Council formally requested that the Ministry of Mines and Energy designate the Poços de Caldas Plateau as a priority hub for the industrialization of Brazil’s rare earth supply chain. The council emphasized the need to transition from exporting raw materials to high-value processes like oxide separation, citing the presence of major industrial-scale projects such as Viridis Mineração’s Colossus Project and Meteoric Resources’ Caldeira Project, which involve investments exceeding US$ 800 million. In a recent regulatory shift, the Minas Gerais government granted priority status to the Morro do Ferro rare earth project, owned by the Australian firm Power Minerals. This designation directs the environmental licensing process through the Superintendency of Priority Projects (SUPPRI) and the State Foundation for the Environment (Feam) to accelerate administrative handling. However, new legal challenges have emerged. A public civil action The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) has been filed questioning requested the suspension of environmental licensing of for the Colossus project by Viridis in Poços de Caldas and the Caldeira project by Meteoric. in the Caldas region. The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) is advocating for a suspension of MPF seeks to halt these licenses processes until the National Nuclear Safety Authority (ANSN) provides a conclusive definitive technical report regarding the potential radiological risks from presence of radioactive materials in waste and effluents. While the mining companies have contested the necessity of a halt, noting they possess assessments from nuclear authorities, the final decision rests with the Federal Court.

Versions

  1. 2026-09-13 06:05 UTC Rare earth mining development in Poços de Caldas
  2. 2026-09-10 23:56 UTC Rare earth mining development in Poços de Caldas
  3. 2026-09-09 19:15 UTC Rare earth mining development in Poços de Caldas
  4. 2026-08-28 15:14 UTC Rare earth mining development in Poços de Caldas

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