The US Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires in Brazil, Gabriel Escobar, expressed the US government’s interest in Brazil’s critical minerals, as reported by G1 on July 24, citing the president of the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram), Raul Jungmann. The topic was discussed at a meeting with private sector representatives, and Escobar had already expressed this interest about three months prior.
While the US has shown willingness to negotiate, Jungmann emphasized that the negotiation agenda is a prerogative of the Brazilian government, with the intention of negotiating with the American private sector. This move by the US comes at a time when Brazil’s exports of critical minerals to China are soaring.
In the first half of 2025, Brazilian exports of rare earth minerals to China tripled, reaching a record volume of Chinese imports. This increase raises concerns that global trade tensions are subtly redirecting critical mineral supply chains through emerging economies, according to a report from the China-Brazil Business Council. Despite the boom in rare earth mineral exports, Brazil’s total exports to China saw a 7.5% decrease compared to last year, totaling US$ 47.7 billion.
