Seminar · Recap
Critical and Strategic Minerals: From the New Law to Industrial Transformation
Government officials, business leaders and experts gathered to discuss how to turn Brazil’s critical minerals into industry, following the enactment of Law No. 15,506/2026.
- Thursday, October 8, 2026
- Íon Building auditorium · Asa Norte, Brasília
Recap
A strategic opportunity that depends on turning resources into industry
At the opening, Senator Tereza Cristina, Chair of the Institute’s Board of Directors, warned that inconsistency and delays in regulating Law No. 15,506/2026 could frustrate projections of placing Brazil among the leaders of the global critical minerals market.
In the panels, government, industry and experts discussed legal certainty, financing, technological development and an industrial policy capable of creating demand for the minerals produced in Brazil.
In the end, there was consensus that Brazil needs long-term investment in research, innovation and infrastructure, greater coordination among government, companies and research centers, and partnerships with countries that already master these technologies.
Read the full coverage
“We aim to arrive at a mature interpretation, born of consensus on how to overcome the challenges and build consistent national projects.”
What was discussed
Four voices from the debate
Government
“[The government intends to] look at each project and see which ones are strategic not only for shareholders, but for the country.”
Regulation
“Putting the new rules into practice won’t happen in less than a year or a year and a half.”
Mineral value chains
“Talking about copper, lithium or rare earths is not the same thing.”
Innovation
“We lack national coordination to lead this, to give it direction. We need focus.”
Photos
The seminar in pictures
Press coverage
The seminar in the press
More than 40 articles on October 8 and 9. A selection (in Portuguese):
- CNN BrasilOctober 8, 2026Aclara talks about technology transfer and considers refining in Brazil
- Poder360October 8, 2026Government delay is holding back business, says critical minerals sector
- InfoMoneyOctober 8, 2026 · Estadão ConteúdoCritical Minerals Association asks the State not to intervene in national mining
- IstoÉ DinheiroOctober 8, 2026Critical minerals: AMC rejects intervention and calls for support for research
- Agência iNFRAOctober 8, 2026Critical minerals: “Having a refinery for every project is not viable,” says AMC
- Jornal de BrasíliaOctober 8, 2026 · Estadão ConteúdoIbram asks the government to prioritize defining the list of critical minerals by the end of the year
Program
Who took part
Opening remarks
Senator Tereza Cristina
Federal Senate · Chair of the Board of Directors of Instituto Diálogos
Opening panel
Brazil’s new legal framework from an international perspective
Anderson Arruda · Ministry of Mines and Energy
Caíque Souza · Vallya
Larissa Wachholz · CEBRI
Panel 1
Rare earths: from projects to magnets and electric motors
Moderator: Rafaela Guedes · CEBRI
Frederico Bedran · Critical Minerals Association
Julio Cesar Nery · IBRAM
Jose Augusto Palma · Aclara
Panel 2
From mine to value addition
Moderator: Rodrigo Cota · Federal Senate
Pablo Cesário · IBRAM
Marcos Berton · Senai-PR
Marisa César · PLS
This was the first in a series of seminars on the topic.
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