President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Brazil is open to international partnerships and investments to explore the nation's critical minerals [1].

This strategy aims to secure global supply chains for rare-earth elements while asserting national sovereignty over resources essential for high-tech industries. By moving beyond raw material extraction, Brazil hopes to capture more economic value and avoid the historical trap of being a mere commodity supplier.

Despite this goal, the Brazilian government faces internal contradictions. A federal spokesperson said Brazil will not be a "mere exporter of rare earths" [2]. However, the Brazilian miner Serra Verde was sold to the U.S. company USA Rare Earth for US$2.8 billion [3].

This sale sparked a sharp political backlash within the government. Minister Alexandre Zarattini said the transfer of the mining asset to a U.S. firm was a "crime de lesa-pátria" — a crime against the homeland [3].

To counter the loss of domestic control, some officials are debating the creation of a state-owned company, Terrabras, to manage rare-earth assets and ensure sovereignty [4]. This push for state control coincides with a diversification of international ties beyond the United States.

Brazil is expanding its strategic reach through the BRICS bloc. On Feb. 21, 2026, Brazil and India signed a cooperation agreement specifically targeting rare earths [5]. This deal underscores a shift toward multifaceted partnerships to reduce dependence on any single foreign power.

Lula's approach follows high-level discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding critical minerals [1]. While the U.S. remains a primary investment target, the government continues to signal that it will prioritize value-added processing over simple extraction [2].

Recent reports from April 12, 2026, indicate that rare earths have now become a central theme for presidential candidates in Brazil as the global competition for these minerals intensifies [6].

“"O Brasil está aberto a receber parcerias e investimentos com o mundo para exploração dos minerais críticos."”

Brazil is attempting a delicate balancing act between attracting necessary foreign capital and maintaining resource nationalism. The friction between the Serra Verde sale and the agreement with India suggests a fragmented policy where short-term financial gains from U.S. investments clash with long-term goals of strategic autonomy and industrialization.