The Geological Survey of Brazil (SGB), a federal state-owned company under the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), has launched a public consultation to gather input for the Ten-Year Plan for Airborne Geophysical Surveys – PlanGEO Aerogeophysics 2027-2036, which will guide the planning and acquisition of airborne geophysical data in the country. The consultation will remain open until October 28, 2026.
The aim of the consultation is for interested sectors to assess the areas already proposed, indicate those they consider priorities and suggest new areas for surveys. The contributions will be technically assessed by the SGB and will inform the final version of the Plan.
The ten-year plan has an estimated cost of R$ 3.3 billion and is expected to concentrate investment in areas that already have a promising track record of mineral occurrence. The main ones include the Borborema Province, the Goiás Magmatic Arc, Alto Paranaíba and the Iron Quadrangle (Quadrilátero Ferrífero).
The SGB produces public data to help companies assess and decide where it is worth investing in exploration before moving on to stages that require greater resources. The Survey currently focuses most of its work on the search for critical and strategic minerals and rare earths.
Geological mapping of Brazil at the ideal scale (1:100,000) currently covers about 28% of the national territory. In high-potential regions, it reaches 52%. The SGB’s goal is to reach 75% over the next four years. The Survey’s budget for 2027 could reach R$ 300 million, according to the MME.
With the new National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals (PNMCE), established by Law No. 15,506/2026, investment in research is expected to increase, since companies taking part in the incentive programs will be required, in return, to allocate 0.3% of their gross operating revenue to Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) and a further 0.2% to paying in shares of the Mining Activity Guarantee Fund (FGAM) during the first six years. From the seventh year onward, 0.5% will be invested exclusively in RD&I.
From the new law to industrial transformation
The fundamental importance of mineral exploration is one of the topics to be presented and discussed at the seminar “Critical Minerals: From the New Law to Industrial Transformation,” which Instituto Diálogos will hold on October 8, 2026, in Brasília.
It is the first in a series of events to discuss Brazil’s next steps in the critical and strategic minerals chain, bringing together representatives of government, the productive sector, mining associations, technology centers and experts working directly on policymaking, project development and the different stages of the mineral chain.
The institutional opening will be given by Senator Tereza Cristina, Chair of the Board of Directors of Instituto Diálogos.
Program:
9:30 a.m.
Institutional opening
Opening panel: Overview of the sector
Panel: “Rare earths in light of international experience: from mining projects to magnets and electric motors”
Panel: “From mine to value added: Brazil’s framework in light of international best practices”
12:30 p.m.
Closing
EVENT DETAILS
Seminar “Critical Minerals: From the New Law to Industrial Transformation”
Date: October 8, 2026 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Venue: ION Building Auditorium, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF
Registration https://forms.gle/yhb6hQWtgbd93f6s6
Registration is subject to the auditorium’s capacity.
Seating is limited and there will be no livestream.
To take part in the consultation, click here (form in Portuguese)
With information from the Geological Survey of Brazil and CNN Brasil