Rosatom and Brazil are planning joint mining of rare earth minerals metals and uranium. Strategic partnership in the nuclear and mining industries was discussed at the meeting by representatives of the Russian state corporation and the Brazilian minister of mining.
The basis for cooperation was the significant reserves of rare earth metals in Brazil. According to estimates geological US service, the country ranks second in the world in terms of reserves of rare earth metals – about 21 million tons. At the same time, local legislation allows foreign companies to participate in the development of deposits.
As Rosatom General Director Alexey Likhachev noted, the parties have identified specific areas for joint work. We are talking about the extraction of rare earth elements and the development of uranium deposits. Such a partnership is in the interests of both countries and can be implemented in the coming years.
Brazil has a diverse resource base for the extraction of rare earth metals. Traditionally, their source was monazite sands, which also contain uranium and thorium. The largest deposits of such sands are located in the coastal states of Rio de Janeiro, Espirito Santo and Bahia.
Since 2015, mining from ionic clays has been actively developing in the country. Deposits of this type are found in the states of Goiás, Minas Gerais and Bahia. Already in 2023, the Pela Ema deposit in the state of Goiás launched production with a capacity of up to 5 thousand tons of rare earth metal oxides annually.
Cooperation between Russia and Brazil in the field of rare earth metals and uranium mining opens up new prospects for both countries. Partnership with Rosatom will allow Brazil to use its natural resources more efficiently, and Russia will strengthen its position in the global market for strategic raw materials.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @dprom
