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According to information from NSC, the government of Goiás has resumed discussions on changes to environmental rules in Chapada dos Veadeiros to enable rare earth mining in the region, following a 15-year cooperation memorandum signed with the United States in March 2026. The area is home to over 200 springs that feed the São Francisco, Paraná, and Paraguay river basins, and specialists warn of the hydrological risks of mineral activity.
The Chapada dos Veadeiros is internationally recognized as one of the most important ecological sanctuaries of the Brazilian Cerrado, with canyons, waterfalls, ancient rock formations, and a network of springs that researchers from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) classify as part of Brazil’s “water reservoir.” Now, the possibility of rare earth mining in this region has returned to the center of debate after the government of Goiás began revising the Management Plan for the Pouso Alto Environmental Protection Area (APA), the instrument that regulates permitted activities in one of the biome’s most sensitive areas. The State Secretariat for Environment and Sustainable Development (Semad) held technical workshops on May 8 and 9 to discuss the changes.
What spurred this revision was an international agreement. In March 2026, Governor Ronaldo Caiado articulated with representatives from the United States a 15-year cooperation memorandum focused on mineral exploration in Goiás territory. The stated objective is to increase Brazil’s participation in the global supply chain for inputs used in manufacturing batteries, semiconductors, and high-tech equipment. This advancement gained even more traction after the acquisition of the Serra Verde mining company by the American firm USA Rare Earth, a billion-dollar operation that reinforced international interest in the rare earths of inland Goiás.
What are rare earths and why is Chapada dos Veadeiros on the map?
Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements essential for manufacturing technological products, from electric vehicle batteries to wind turbines, smartphones, and military equipment. Despite the name, these minerals are not exactly rare in nature, but their extraction and processing involve complex chemical techniques that can generate toxic waste and impact water resources. China dominates over 60% of global production, which has led countries like the United States to seek alternative sources in other regions of the world.
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Inland Goiás has significant deposits of rare earths, and Chapada dos Veadeiros is within this zone of mineral interest. The coincidence between the location of the deposits and one of the most important environmental protection areas of the Cerrado is what makes the debate so complex. It’s not about choosing between economy and environment in the abstract: the decision involves a specific region with over 200 cataloged springs, biodiversity recognized by UNESCO, and hydrological relevance for three of the country’s largest river basins.
Over 200 springs and Brazil’s “water reservoir” at risk
The Pouso Alto APA, where the management plan revision is under discussion, is home to one of Brazil’s largest concentrations of springs. According to the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), Chapada dos Veadeiros has over 200 springs that contribute to the supply of the São Francisco, Paraná, and Paraguay river basins. These three hydrological systems irrigate plantations, supply cities, and sustain ecosystems in various Brazilian states. Any alteration to the hydrological balance of Chapada has the potential to reverberate far beyond the borders of Goiás.
Researchers classify the Cerrado as “Brazil’s water tank” precisely because of its capacity to feed large rivers and strategic aquifers. A study by the University of Brasília (UnB) warns that intensive interventions in the region could affect local water flow and increase pressure on areas considered strategic for biodiversity conservation in the Midwest. Rare earth mining involves chemical processes that use acids and solvents to separate elements from the ore, and the disposal of these residues in a headwater region is the point that most concerns specialists.
What the management plan revision can change
The Pouso Alto APA Management Plan is the document that defines which activities are permitted, restricted, or prohibited within the limits of the environmental protection area. The ongoing revision by Semad could alter the APA’s zoning and redefine the rules for mining activities, which currently face significant restrictions in the region. If the changes are approved, rare earth exploration could be authorized in areas where it is currently not permitted, paving the way for the installation of mineral operations within the perimeter of Chapada dos Veadeiros.
Semad states that there is currently no mining authorization granted in the Pouso Alto APA region. The secretariat maintains that the plan’s revision seeks to evaluate technical, legal, and environmental limits before any definitive decision on mineral activity. The technical workshops held in Colinas do Sul are part of the process of building a new version of the plan, which will still undergo public consultations with residents, environmental entities, and local representatives before being formalized.
The agreement with the United States and the global race for strategic minerals
The memorandum signed between the government of Goiás and representatives of the United States establishes a 15-year cooperation focused on mineral exploration in Goiano territory. The agreement is part of a global context where Western powers seek to reduce their dependence on China for the supply of rare earths, a group of minerals that has become strategic for the energy transition, the defense industry, and the technology sector. For the United States, having access to reliable sources of rare earths outside of China is a matter of national security.
The acquisition of the Serra Verde mining company by the American USA Rare Earth materialized this interest with a billion-dollar operation that placed Goiano reserves under the control of a US-based company. For the government of Goiás, the agreement represents investment, job creation, and insertion into the global technology chain. For environmentalists and researchers, it represents a calculated risk that could irreversibly compromise the water and ecological heritage of a region that took millions of years to form.
Tourism, biodiversity, and the Cerrado that could change
Chapada dos Veadeiros is not just a repository of water and minerals. The region has consolidated itself as one of Brazil’s main ecotourism destinations, attracting national and international visitors to its waterfalls, trails, canyons, and rock formations. The Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is declared a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, a recognition that grants the region international protection status. Mining within the Pouso Alto APA, even outside the national park’s limits, could affect the Chapada’s tourism image and impact the local economy that depends on ecotourism.
The native biodiversity of the Cerrado present in the Pouso Alto APA includes endemic species of fauna and flora that exist nowhere else on the planet. Alterations in water balance, contamination of headwaters, or deforestation for mining infrastructure could compromise habitats that sustain these species. The debate does not only pit mining against the environment: it also pits two different economic models for the region, one based on the extraction of finite resources and another based on the conservation of renewable resources such as water, landscape, and biodiversity.
Public consultations and what lies ahead
After the technical workshops in May, the government of Goiás is expected to open a new round of public consultations on the changes to the Pouso Alto APA Management Plan. The possible release of mining in the region still depends on the conclusion of technical studies and the analysis of contributions presented by affected communities. The process is legally mandatory and offers the local population the opportunity to express their views on changes that could permanently transform the landscape and economy of Chapada dos Veadeiros.
Do you think rare earth mining should be allowed in Chapada dos Veadeiros? Tell us in the comments what you think about the balance between mineral exploration and environmental preservation, whether the agreement with the United States justifies the risks to headwaters, and if there are alternatives that reconcile economic development and Cerrado protection. We want to hear your opinion on the future of this region.
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