Mining supports a large part of the Brazilian economy. In 2024, it accounted for 33% of the country’s trade balance ($24.51 billion USD), according to the federal government. Exports of iron ore, gold, copper, niobium and lithium amounted to US$67.2 billion. However, the gap between geological potential and technological leadership remains large.
There is no consolidated data on the total amount of investment in mining R&D in Brazil, but there is a consensus among industry players that the country is investing less in technology and research than its main competitors – such as Australia, Canada and China – as governments and companies devote significant resources to digitalisation, automation and decarbonisation of mines.
A study published by the Brazilian Mining Institute (IBRAM) in 2024 shows that there is a decline in the number of mining companies with areas devoted exclusively to innovation – from 72% in 2022 to 57% in 2023. Despite this, internal development has progressed, with 81% of companies implementing their own continuous improvement programmes. In the same period, the use of digital innovation management tools increased from 47% to 76%.
Silvia France – Director of the Center for Mineral Technology (Cetem), the main government research body in the sector linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation – believes that Brazil needs to strengthen international cooperation and continuously invest in applied research. “It is necessary to look beyond metal production and take steps forward in the production chain, adding value through the contribution of technologies to the products produced.”
Brazilian scientific production in mining has expanded, but it still lacks continuity. In recent years, universities such as USP, UFMG, UFOP and Unicamp have expanded lines of research into waste processing and reuse and new extraction methods with lower environmental impact. One of the most recent examples is the Magbras – From Mine to Magnet project, an Engine Program initiative, led by Sinai and coordinated by the Federation of Industries of the State of Santa Catarina, which seeks to structure a national chain of permanent rare earth magnets, from raw to finished product, to reduce dependence on imports. The project brings together 38 companies, startups, universities and research institutions, focusing on electric mobility, clean energy, defense and other strategic sectors.
In January this year, BNDES and Finep launched a new public call to promote the transformation of strategic minerals and accelerate the country’s energy transition. With an initial budget of R$5 billion, the program combines credit, equity participation and non-recoverable resources to enhance productive capacity and invest in research, development and innovation. The initiative gives priority to lithium, rare earth, nickel, graphite and silicon chains, in addition to encouraging national manufacturing of batteries, photovoltaics and permanent magnets.
The private sector has allocated budget for research, development and innovation (RD&I) in areas such as automation, artificial intelligence and process digitization, to achieve gains in efficiency, safety and sustainability.
CBMM, the world leader in niobium production, invests between R$250 million and R$300 million annually in R&D. The company maintains more than 200 active projects with universities and companies in Brazil and abroad, with the aim of diversifying the portfolio and creating applications with high added value.
“Since 2018, we have invested in developing innovative technologies for next-generation batteries, focusing on the application of niobium in electrodes,” explains Ricardo Lima, CEO of CBMM. The goal, he says, is to promote electrification and decarbonization, in line with the global clean energy agenda.
Among the most attractive areas for private sector investment in Brazilian mining are automation, artificial intelligence, remote sensing and energy efficiency. Major mining companies, such as Vale and CBMM, are adopting autonomous systems and digital models, using automated trucks, drones and real-time monitoring sensors.
Brazilian potential in rare earths should also foster the development of new national technologies. These types of ore are essential for manufacturing permanent magnets used in wind turbines, electric motors and solar panels.
The advancement of digital technologies has also reshaped the sector’s ecosystem. Platforms such as Jazida, which automates the management of mining and environmental operations with geospatial integration and compliance alerts, and CertiMaine, which applies blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to track and certify production chains under ESG standards, are an example of a new generation of solutions aimed at bringing efficiency and transparency to the sector.
“We have a highly specialized workforce. We have excellent public and private colleges,” says Eder Grebbeler, founder and CEO of Fast2Mine. “What we need is for the government to look at the minerals sector and encourage innovation, whether with mining companies or technology-based companies.” Founded in 2013, in the state of Minas Gerais, the company develops systems based on artificial intelligence, automation, Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud platforms (SaaS) for operational control and fleet management.
In just over a decade, Fast2Mine has already served 90 mining companies and worked in countries such as Australia, Chile and Mexico. This success attracted the attention of British company Weir, which acquired the company in September this year. Grebeler did not reveal the amount of the deal, but he expects such cases to become more common in the country. “Brazil is a mining country and does not consider itself a mining country. This sector is only remembered when something bad happens, with a dam collapse. Why can’t we be as strong in the mineral sector as we are in agriculture?”
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