The state of Minas wants to become a hub for rare earth elements in the country | Mining

In an area up to 35 kilometers in diameter, important minerals are embedded in soil that mining companies call “ionic clay,” with an estimated potential of up to 20 billion tons, at a depth of 20 to 40 metres. The material contains a large amount of neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium, among other elements. For every ton of ionic clay, an average of 2.5 kg of these elements will be removed, according to mining companies.

The region is witnessing great excitement thanks to the investments already made – approaching R$ 400 million – and planned by the two companies. Viridis said it will contribute US$400 million and Meteoric US$440 million, to get their mining operations up and running by 2028.

“The value of the deposits could reach trillions of reais, if the full potential is explored,” says Franco Martins, Minister of Economic Development of the Pocos de Caldas City Council. “These investments are expected to attract companies with high technological value.” Franco estimates there will be 30,000 potential new jobs in the city and surrounding areas by 2030.

Australian mining companies intend to go beyond mere extraction. They have plans to establish partnerships, bring in investments and companies, even develop the full series at some point in the future. This complex technological process, starting with mining, includes processing to produce oxides and carbonates (intermediate chemical compounds that lead to the separation of metals), and the creation of metal alloys. Next comes grinding, pressing, sintering (a type of cooking), and epoxy coating, and with a small electrical pulse, the material becomes a supermagnet. Today, this technology enjoys a virtual global monopoly in China.

Exporting only rare earth carbonates would mean giving up participation in an annual market worth about US$12 trillion. Supermagnets are used in military missiles, wind coils, data centers, cars, robotics and other equipment.

“The Viridis project seeks to develop the entire production chain, from ore to magnets, here in the country, rather than just exporting raw materials,” says the company’s national director, geologist Klaus Petersen. “Brazil alone needs 10,000 tons of supermagnets per year for industrial use,” reveals Marcelo Carvalho, CEO of Meteoric. “The demand is so intense that our project will cover its costs within two and a half years of production.”

In Lagoa Santa, also in the state of Minas Gerais, researcher José Luciano de Assis Pereira, director of the Center for Innovation and Technology for Rare Earth Magnets (CIT-ITR), linked to Sinai, confirms that Brazil already has the knowledge necessary to produce supermagnets in laboratories. The issue is to develop our own Brazilian technology, while providing economic feasibility for large-scale production. “A deadline has been agreed with the funders to develop our supermagnet at CIT within 36 months,” reveals Pereira. “But the restrictions imposed by China make it difficult to implement the project.”

A doctoral student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in the field of innovation and studying how state programs can develop entire production chains, such as supermagnets, Janina Behring also works at the Foundation for Research Development (Fundep), which funded CIT-ITR. She points out that “China has prepared for 50 years with a well-established plan and significant government investments.” “We need a state plan, with political stability and significant financial investments.” Analysts he consulted value It is estimated that hundreds of billions of riyals of investment will be needed in the coming years to establish the full chain.