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Goiás Signs Strategic Agreement With Japan to Explore Rare Earths in Minaçu, Aiming for National Leadership and Access to Advanced Technologies
Governor Ronaldo Caiado sanctioned, on Wednesday (27), the bill that formalizes the partnership between Goiás and the government of Japan for the exploration of rare earths in Minaçu, in the northern part of the state. The measure was highlighted by the governor as strategic to position Goiás ahead of other Brazilian states.
Caiado’s Statements
During a visit from Japanese representatives, Caiado stated that Brazil is experiencing a “colonial era” in the exploration of these minerals, but that Goiás intends to change this scenario.
“We are seeking Japanese technology and a mineral research fund. With this, we want to transform rare earths. And that meets all the stages; there are five stages for the separation of the metals,” he stated.
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In a press conference held on Thursday (28) at the Palácio Pedro Ludovico Teixeira, the governor emphasized the importance of dysprosium and terbium, minerals used in batteries, wind energy engines, and resonance tubes.
According to him, the development of advanced products in Brazil directly depends on these elements.
Japan’s Perspective
Ambassador Teiji Hayashi explained to g1 that few countries currently dominate the refining of rare earths. Among them are Japan and China, with the latter being the largest holder of the resource.
According to him, the intention of the partnership with Goiás is to reduce Japan’s dependence on Chinese production.
Rare earths are composed of 17 chemical elements. Although found abundantly in nature, they are considered rare because they require a complex process for separation into their pure form.
The National Mining Agency classifies the elements into three groups: light, such as lanthanum and neodymium; medium, such as samarium and gadolinium; and heavy, such as dysprosium, terbium, and lutetium.
Production in Brazil
Data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicates that Brazil has the second largest reserve of rare earths in the world, behind only China. The Asian country accounts for over 60% of global production and nearly 90% of refining.
In Brazil, Serra Verde Pesquisa e Mineração (SVPM), in Minaçu, is the only miner outside Asia that produces commercially at scale the four essential magnetic elements: dysprosium, terbium, neodymium, and praseodymium. The region has a rare earth deposit in ionic clay.
According to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services (MDIC), Goiás exported 60 tons of rare earths in May, valued at US$ 965,000. In February, the volume was 419 tons, valued at US$ 5.7 million.
From Minaçu to the Ban on Asbestos
The history of Minaçu began in the 1960s with the installation of an industrial park by the mining company Sama in the Serra da Cana Brava.
The village grew, and in 1976, the municipality achieved its political emancipation. For decades, asbestos was the driving force of the local economy.
However, extraction began to face legal restrictions. In 2017, the Supreme Federal Court upheld state and municipal laws that limited the use of chrysotile asbestos.
In 2023, the STF confirmed the unconstitutionality of the federal regulation that authorized the activity. Nonetheless, in 2024, the Legislative Assembly of Goiás approved a five-year period for the gradual cessation of exploration in Cana Brava, seeking to reduce social and economic impacts.
The trial of a lawsuit questioning the legality of the state law is still ongoing in the STF. In March 2025, the ministers resumed the process, but the decision was postponed again after a request for a review from Minister Nunes Marques.
Investment in New Opportunities
With the decline of asbestos, rare earths have emerged as a new alternative for Minaçu. According to Mayor Carlos Leréia (PSDB), the municipality received an investment of approximately R$ 3 billion from Serra Verde. He stated that the city is expanding and expects even more significant results in the future.
“At the peak of production, which is expected to occur between 2027 and 2028, the city will have many resources, both for the municipality, the state, and the country. We believe and have faith in the Serra Verde project in Minaçu,” said Leréia to g1.
The mayor also highlighted the desire for the separation of minerals to occur within Goiás. However, he acknowledged that the biggest obstacle is still the lack of Brazilian technology for the process.
Expectations
The most important point, according to the authorities, is that the partnership with Japan allows access to technologies and reduces dependence on other countries.
In addition, Goiás bets on the potential of Minaçu to establish itself as a national hub for rare earths, gradually replacing the old economic dependence on asbestos.
With information from G1.
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