Zé Silva: Serra Verde Case Spurred National Critical Minerals Policy

U.S. investment in the Serra Verde project in Goiás accelerated discussions in Congress for the creation of a regulatory framework focused on critical minerals and national autonomy.

The move by the United States government in the rare earth sector on Brazilian soil served as a watershed moment for the country’s mineral policy. The case of the Serra Verde project, located in Minaçu, became the practical example needed to propel the processing of specific legislation aimed at national strategic assets.

Congressman Zé Silva (União/MG), author of the proposal recently approved by the Federal Senate, points out that the episode highlighted the urgency for Brazil to define clear rules on how foreign powers can access vital resources for the global energy and technological transition. The text, now ready for presidential sanction, establishes guidelines to protect sovereignty without closing doors to the international market.

A New Regulatory Framework for Mining

The new legislation institutes the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals and creates the National Council for the Industrialization of Critical and Strategic Minerals (CIMCE). This body will be responsible for approving major operations involving mining projects classified as strategic by the government.

According to the congressman, the structure was designed to balance private interest with state control over fundamental assets.

The case highlighted the need for Brazil to establish its own criteria for investments in assets considered strategic, creating a national benchmark for analyzing such operations.

Focus on Value Addition

In addition to regulation, the framework brings a strong industrial focus. The central objective is to move beyond the historical export of raw commodities—a model that still predominates in the iron ore sector—and foster domestic processing of minerals. To achieve this, the project foresees mechanisms such as debentures and tax credits to incentivize the installation of beneficiation plants within Brazilian borders.

Another crucial point of the proposal is food security: the inclusion of fertilizer inputs in the list of strategic minerals. The measure aims to reduce Brazil’s dependence on imports, creating a more robust supply chain in the face of geopolitical instabilities. With the sanction, the country expects to assume a leading role in mineral geopolitics, ensuring that the boom in demand for new technologies translates into real economic development.