The federal government has formalized technical criteria for classifying critical and strategic minerals in Brazil, setting priorities for industrial development and the country’s economic sustainability.
The federal government took a decisive step this Thursday (November 5) by publishing, in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU), the decree that establishes guidelines for classifying so‑called critical and strategic minerals.
This measure operationalizes the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals (PNMCE), previously enacted by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and aims to protect Brazil’s industrial and technological sovereignty.
The regulation arrives amid intense geopolitical activity, where control over mineral resources has become a central pillar of the global energy transition.
With its publication, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and the National Council for the Industrialization of Critical and Strategic Minerals (Cimce) now have formal tools to map, prioritize, and promote the extraction and processing of these vital substances.
Criteria for national classification
For a mineral resource to be categorized as “critical,” the government will require proof that it is indispensable to key sectors of the Brazilian economy.
Additionally, the country must face limitations in the availability of that material, such that scarcity poses a direct risk to the operation of the national productive park.
The “strategic” label, on the other hand, focuses on socioeconomic and technological development.
According to the decree, the classification will apply to minerals that have national relevance, significant reserves within Brazilian territory, and are essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the production chain, aligning mining with long‑term climate goals.
This new regulatory framework enables the Brazilian state to act with greater precision in managing vulnerabilities, using geopolitical risk and market concentration criteria to determine where public efforts should be focused.
Hierarchy and Strategic Priorities
The decree establishes a tripartite division for resource monitoring, organized into priority classes.
In Class 1, the most critical minerals are listed, requiring immediate and direct intervention by the State.
Class 2 covers substances whose development is essential to strengthen production chains and mitigate sectoral vulnerabilities.
Finally, Class 3 includes resources that will need continuous monitoring to prevent supply disruptions.
The definition and future updates of these lists will be the responsibility of Cimce, which holds its first official meeting this Thursday under the leadership of President Lula.
The government’s haste to hold the meeting—anticipating an initial expectation that it would take place after COP31—demonstrates Brasília’s urgency in positioning Brazil as an indispensable player in the global supply of essential minerals.
The impact of this policy will be felt in both the mining sector and high‑technology industries.
The success of PNMCE will now depend on the ability of agencies such as the National Mining Agency (ANM) to structure oversight and traceability of these assets, ensuring that exploration follows stringent environmental standards and that the added value of these minerals remains within the country’s internal development.