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Brazil becomes a global target: Valuable rare earth elements found in Minas Gerais

Written by Roberta Souza
Published 13/10/2024 às 12:50
rare earth element, rare earths, extraction
Photo: reproduction O Cafezinho

Discovery of rare elements positions Verde Agritech as a strategic company in supporting the global energy transition

Verde Agritech, a company specialized in agricultural technology and producer of potassium fertilizers, announced a important discovery in its mineral concessions in Minas Gerais. The company found ion adsorption clay with high content of rare earth elements (REE), when carrying out a reanalysis of drillings intended for phosphate exploration in the geological formation of Monte Nau de Guerra, located between the municipalities of São Gotardo and Matutina, in Alto Paranaíba, according to the Diário do Comércio website.

With this discovery of rare earth elements, Verde becomes control an area of ​​4.708 hectares with mineralization potential and extraction for REEs such as Praseodymium (Pr), Neodymium (Nd), Dysprosium (Dy) and Terbium (Tb). These elements are fundamental in the production of technologies aimed at the generation of renewable energy, such as electric vehicles and wind turbines, and are considered essential in the global energy transition scenario.

Strategic discovery of rare earths in Brazil

Cristiano Veloso, founder and CEO of Verde Agritech, highlighted the importance of the discovery de rare earth elements, stating that it positions the company as a “strategic player in supporting the global shift towards renewable energy solutions”. Veloso emphasized the company commitment in understanding the full potential of the elements found and evaluating ways to add value to shareholders, without diverting focus from its main business: fertilizer production.

Photo: Brasil Mineral reproduction

The reanalysis carried out by Verde Agritech involved 15 drill holes in a mineralized zone in Warship, originally intended for phosphate mining. The preliminary results of the rare earth elements indicated the presence of ionic clay, which led the company to send samples to the SGS laboratory, which confirmed mineralization, although recovery has not yet been optimized.

Rare earths: Extraction and recovery processes

A extraction of rare earth elements was evaluated through ammonium sulfate leaching tests, a process that involves leaching at low temperature and atmospheric pressure, followed by selective precipitation of the REEs. According to Verde Agritech, this technique ensures efficient extraction with minimal impurities. The tests were performed with a 0,5 M ammonium sulfate solution and pH 4 for 30 minutes, under ambient conditions, demonstrating the effectiveness of the method.

The extraction company also highlighted that the results of the Leaching contaminant analyses were promising, with low concentration of impurities, which can contribute to the economic viability of the rare earth exploration project.

Opportunity in the renewable energy market

Pay attention to growth in global demand for rare earth elements extraction, driven by energy transition policies, Verde Agritech intends to deepen its investigations into the presence of these elements in its concessions. The company already has 3.640 meters of area designated for diamond drilling in the same geological formation where the ETRs were discovered and intends to release the results of the studies soon.

Even with this exciting discovery, Veloso ensures that Verde Agritech's focus remains on the production of sustainable and low-carbon fertilizers. The work of evaluating the ETRs, according to him, is being carried out in an economical manner and without diverting the team's attention from its main objectives.

Roberta Souza

Petroleum Engineer, postgraduate in Commissioning of Industrial Units, specialist in Industrial Corrosion. Get in touch to suggest an agenda, advertise job vacancies or advertise on our portal. We do not receive resumes

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