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The Jequitinhonha Valley and North of Minas Are Experiencing an Unprecedented Transformation With Record Lithium Production in 2024. More Than 944 Thousand Tons Extracted, Almost Four Times the Volume of 2023. The Achievement Reflects the Impact of the Lithium Valley Program Launched by the Minas Government That Has Already Attracted Billions in Investments, Multiplied Jobs and Put the Region on the Global Map of Energy Transition.
Lithium production in the Jequitinhonha Valley and North of Minas Reached Historic Numbers in 2024, Driving an Unprecedented Regional Economic Transformation.
The Lithium Valley Program, Launched in 2023 by the Minas Government, Has Established Itself as the Engine of This Growth, Attracting Billion-Dollar Investments, Generating Thousands of Jobs, and Creating a Competitive Business Environment in One of the State’s Most Disadvantaged Areas.
Record Production and Investments
According to Data from the National Mining Agency (ANM), Production Exceeded 944 Thousand Tons of Lithium in 2024, Almost Four Times More Than the 263 Thousand Tons Registered in 2023.
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A machine capable of removing up to 12,000 cubic meters of earth per hour helps to feed part of the European energy matrix, and this mining colossus almost never appears when discussing the real cost of electricity.
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In Kerala, India, known as “the land of God,” dredging machines are extracting sand from rivers 40 times faster than nature can replenish it, riverbeds have already dropped nearly 2 meters, rivers have begun to dry up, and scientists who investigated the floods of 2018 discovered that decades of uncontrolled mining have weakened the rivers to the point where they can no longer contain the water.
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USA and China compete for Brazil over resources that could be worth trillions — rare earths put the country at the center of a global dispute
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After China, it’s now the turn of the USA to ‘secure’ a share of Brazil’s natural resources: the country buys critical rare earths for R$ 3 billion and enters the center of the global technology dispute.
This Leap Strengthened the Position of Minas Gerais as a Benchmark in the Sector, Especially in the Global Context of Energy Transition.
The Program Has Already Attracted R$ 6.3 Billion in Investments and Projects the Creation of Nearly 5 Thousand Direct Jobs.
Governor Romeu Zema Highlighted the Importance of the Initiative: “Since We Launched the Lithium Valley Program, We Have Managed to Attract a Large Volume of Investments to the Region, Providing Infrastructure, Incentives for Technology, and Training for the Workforce. And This Means More Jobs and More Opportunities for the People of Minas.”
Industrialization and Innovation
Minas Gerais is Home to the Only National Chemical Plant for Lithium Compounds, Operated by Companhia Brasileira de Lítio (CBL) in Divisa Alegre.
According to the Company’s CEO, Vinícius Alvarenga, Production Has Increased Fivefold Since 2021 and Is Projected to Double in the Next Two Years.
He Emphasizes, However, That the Lack of Qualified Labor Remains a Challenge. “The Main Challenge Has Been the Lack of Qualified Labor, but We See Support from Valuable Programs for Basic Technical Training,” He Said.
The State is Investing in Training Programs, Such as Trilha de Futuro and Minas Forma, as Well as Strategic Measures Like Tax Benefits to Stimulate Chemical Processing, Essential for the Production of Lithium Carbonate and Hydroxide, Crucial in the Global Battery Industry.
Social Impact and New Opportunities
The Arrival of Large Mining Companies Has Also Opened Space for Transformed Life Stories.
Isabela Guedes Otoni, a Chemical Engineer at Sigma Lithium, Was Born in Araçuaí and, After Studying in Belo Horizonte, Got Her First Job Opportunity Right in Her Hometown. “For Me, It Is Much More Than a Dream. Because of My Background, I Never Imagined Coming Back Here. Today, I Can’t See Myself Living Outside of My Region,” She Reported.
The Local Job Market Has Experienced Strong Growth. In Araçuaí, the Number of Formal Workers in the Industry More Than Doubled, Jumping from 312 in 2020 to 728 in 2024. In Itinga, the Evolution Was Similar: in 2023, There Was a 100.9% Increase in Formal Jobs in Industry, Especially in Mining, Totaling 722 Positions.
With the Results Achieved in Just Over a Year of the Program, the Jequitinhonha Valley and North of Minas are Undergoing a Historic Turnaround.
The Growth in Production, the Attraction of Investments, and the Opening of Job Opportunities Signify That Lithium Has Become a Central Vector of Regional Development.
The Lithium Valley Program, by Articulating Investments, Training, and Tax Benefits, Has Transformed the Semi-arid Region of Minas into a Benchmark for the New Energy Economy and a Space of Hope for Thousands of Workers.
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