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The Recent Discovery Of Lithium In Brazil, Especially In Minas Gerais, Attracts Billion-Dollar Investments And Positions The Country In The Global Energy Transition Scenario. We Analyze The Potential, The Projects Underway In May 2025 And The Complex Impacts Of This New Mineral Frontier.
The Growing Global Demand For Clean Energy Technologies, Such As Batteries For Electric Vehicles, Has Driven A Real Race For Lithium. The Discovery Of Lithium In Brazil, With A Special Focus On The Jequitinhonha Valley In Minas Gerais, Has Positioned The Country As A Key And Promising Player In This Strategic Scenario.
We Will Address The Potential Of National Reserves, The Main Exploration Projects Underway Until May 2025, The Significant Socioeconomic And Environmental Impacts Involved, And The Prospects For The Lithium Value Chain In The Country.
The White Treasure Of Minas Gerais: Geological Potential And Lithium Reserves In Brazil
Brazil Holds Significant Lithium Potential. Estimates From The Ministry Of Mines And Energy (MME) And The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Of 2024 Indicate Reserves Of 1.37 Million Tons Of Metallic Lithium. This Figure Positions The Country As The Seventh Largest Holder Of Lithium Reserves In The World. Most Of These Reserves Are Located In The Jequitinhonha Valley In Minas Gerais, Mainly In The Municipalities Of Araçuaí And Itinga. Lithium In The Region Is Associated With Granitic Pegmatites, With The Main Ores Being Spodumene, Petalite, And Ambligonite.
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Brazil extracts 26.3 million tons of ore from what was previously treated as waste, transforming residues into wealth, producing over 3 million tons of sand, and demonstrating how national mining is relearning to generate value.
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A $3.5 billion megaproject in Latin America pumps desalinated seawater at 1,050 liters per second over 194 km to keep a copper supermine in the Andes operational for another 20 years.
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A hidden mine in the Andes valued at nearly R$ 1 trillion is starting to attract global attention, containing copper, gold, and silver, and raises an intriguing question: why do Argentina and Chile need to act together to exploit this gigantic wealth?
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A silent discovery in the interior of Bahia could change the future of energy in Brazil: a uranium reserve in Lagoa Real has an estimated capacity to produce 400 tons per year and is already attracting the attention of energy sector specialists.
In Terms Of Production, Brazil Also Stands Out. In 2023, The National Production Of Lithium Concentrates (Containing Li2O) Reached 15,193 Tons, Representing 7.5% Of Global Production And Placing The Country As The Fifth Largest Global Producer, According To Data From The National Mining Agency (ANM). The Li2O Content In The Concentrate, Which In 2023 Averaged 5.7% Nationally, Is Essential For The Quality And Value Of The Product.
The Race For Lithium In The Jequitinhonha Valley: Projects And Investments In May 2025
The Jequitinhonha Valley Has Become An Investment Magnet After The Discovery Of Lithium. The “Lithium Valley Brazil” Project, Coordinated By The Government Of Minas Gerais, Has Already Catalyzed Investments Ranging From R$ 5.5 Billion To R$ 6.3 Billion. Several Companies, Mainly Foreign-Owned (Canada, USA, Australia), Lead This Race.
Among Them, Canadian Sigma Lithium Started Extraction At Its Grota Do Cirilo Operation In May 2023 And Is Already Producing 270,000 Tons Annually Of Concentrate, With Plans To Double This Capacity. The American Atlas Lithium, With Its Neves Project, Expected The Arrival Of Its Processing Plant In Brazil In March 2025. Others Such As Lithium Ionic (Canadian) And PLS (Formerly Latin Resources, Australian) Have Also Announced Significant Investments. Brazilian Companhia Brasileira De Lítio (CBL) And AMG Mining Are Also Expanding Their Capacities.
Impacts Of Lithium Mining: Promised Development And Socio-Environmental Challenges
The Expansion Of Lithium Mining In The Jequitinhonha Valley Brings A Duality Of Impacts. On One Hand, There Are Promises Of Economic Development, With Estimates Of Creating Thousands Of Jobs And An Increase In Tax Revenue Such As The Financial Compensation For Mineral Exploration (CFEM) For The Municipalities. Companies And The Government Also Cite Professional Qualification Initiatives And Social Actions.
In Contrast, Deep Concerns And Allegations Of Severe Socio-Environmental Consequences Arise, Raised By Local Communities And Organizations Such As The Movement Of Those Affected By Dams (MAB). The Most Critical Issues Include The Alleged Absence Of Prior, Free, And Informed Consultation With Traditional Communities, According To ILO Convention 169, Leading To Land Conflicts. There Are Also Allegations Of Environmental Degradation, Such As Deforestation And The Intensive Water Consumption By The Industry In A Region Already Marked By Water Scarcity. Reports From The Communities Include Health Problems (Respiratory, Mental), An Increase In The Cost Of Living, And Pressure On Public Services.
The Future Of The Value Chain After The Discovery Of Lithium In Brazil
One Of The Main Challenges For Brazil, After The Discovery Of Lithium, Is To Overcome The Historical Model Of Raw Material Exporter And Add Value Locally. Currently, Most Of The Brazilian Production Is Exported As Spodumene Concentrate. The Companhia Brasileira De Lítio (CBL) Is The Only Company In The Country That Does Chemical Processing To Produce Lithium Hydroxide And Carbonate, But Even Part Of This Production Is Exported.
To Encourage Industrialization, Some Government Initiatives Have Emerged. One Example Is The Finep And BNDES Notice Launched In January 2025, Amounting To R$ 5 Billion. This Program Aims To Support Strategic Mineral Transformation Projects, Including Lithium, Focusing On The Manufacturing Of Components Such As Battery Cells. The Government Of Minas Gerais Has Also Encouraged R&D In The Sector Through Fapemig.
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