The Brazilian ended the first half of 2025 with solid growth in production, revenues and job creation. However, this consistency became drawing attention and placed the segment in the focus of tariff measures imposed by the United States, which reach more than 24% of segment exports.
According to data released on Tuesday (5) by the Brazilian Mining Institute (IBRAM), which represents the largest mining companies operating in the country, the mineral sector earned R $ 139.2 billion in the first six months of the year, an increase of 7.5% over the first half of 2024. Revenue with critical minerals was R $ 21.6 billion, 41.6% increase over the first half of 2024, when it reached R $ 15.2 billions.
Only exports in the sector in the period reached 192.5 million tons of products, which represented an increase of 3.7% over the first half of 2024, moving about US $ 20.1 billion. Only iron ore was responsible for 63% of exports. Critical mineral exports grew by 5.2%, totaling US $ 3.64 billion, corresponding to 3.58 million tons.
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Therefore, it has already been drawing external attention. The theme of critical minerals gained prominence after a meeting between IBRAM and US embassy in charge of Gabriel Escobar in Brasilia. According to Ibram, Escobar showed interest in, in preparation by the Brazilian government.
On the other hand, mineral imports fell 5.3% in dollars, totaling US $ 4.1 billion, and fell 2.2% in tons, totaling 19.9 million tons. In the end, the balance of the mineral trade balance (US $ 16.01 billion) was equivalent to 53% of the Brazilian trade balance balance (US $ 30.09 billion).
Tariff
From August 6, the United States will apply an additional 40% tariff to some Brazilian mineral products. This measure mainly reaches ornamental stones/rocks (19.4%of mineral exports), kaolin (1.2%), vanadium pentoxide (1%) and other ores. About 24.4% of Brazilian mineral exports may be affected.
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“The time is to review our strategy. We need to negotiate with a focus on technology transfer, investment attraction and diversification of the agenda,” says IBRAM CEO Raul Jungmann. He points out that the United States are important vanadium market and decorative stones, sectors in which Brazil holds competitive advantages, but stressed that negotiation should be done by the government, as mineral resources belong to the Union.
However, the sector fears tariff retaliation on strategic imports of machinery and equipment, such as excavators or trucks, mostly from the United States, which can raise costs by $ 1 billion per year to Brazilian mining companies.
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General Sector Results in the first semester
| Exports: 192.5 million tons, up 3.7% compared to the same period of 2024, but a 6.5% drop in revenue, with the value reaching US $ 20.1 billion. |
| Iron ore It accounts for 63% of exports and totals US $ 12.7 billion (–17.4% in dollar, despite higher volume). |
| Critical Minerals (Niobium, Vanadium, Copper, Gold and others) total US $ 3.64 billion (5.2% up) and 3.58 million tons. |
| Import: US $ 4.06 billion (drop of 5.3%) and 19.9 million tons (reduction of 2.2%). |
| The Mineral Balance Balance It reached US $ 16 billion, equivalent to 53% of the total Brazilian trade balance (US $ 30.09 BI), compared to 41% in the first six months of 2024. |
| Sector Billing: R $ 139.2 billion7.5%advance. Minas Gerais leads with 39.7%of the participation, followed by Pará (34.6%) and Bahia (4.8%). |
| Taxes and CFEM: Total collection increased by 7.5%, reaching R $ 48 billion; CFEM totaled R $ 3.7 billion, with Minas and Pará accounting for 84.5% of this total. |
| Direct jobs: 226 thousand vacancies, with generation of 5,085 new posts in the period. |
| Predicted Investments (2025-2029): US $ 68.4 billion, of which US $ 18.45 billion for critical minerals. |
Critical Minerals
Jungmann points out that Brazil occupies a position of world leadership in reserves and production of various minerals essential to energy transition, such as Niobio, Lithium, Rare Lands and Vanadium. Revenue with these products increased 41.6% in the first half, totaling R $ 21.6 billion.
For Jungmann, these minerals offer a strategic window to add value, attract foreign investment and build local productive chains, from mining to industrial processing.
Conjuncture
The mineral surplus helps stabilize the trade balance and supports currency reserves at a time of greater external tension. The drop in revenue due to the lowest quotation of iron ore was partly offset by increasing the value of other minerals, such as gold (+80% in revenues, caused by 60% in price) and copper (+63%).
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Still, the United States appears as an exporter and importer relevant to the mineral sector of Brazil: we export about 4%of the total mineral to the country, especially Vanadio (34%) and ornamental rocks (57.6%). On the other hand, we import about 20% of ores intended for industrial and energetic use.
Given this context, the mining sector expects government negotiations with the American to include three priority fronts:
– Technology transfer and industrial training
– Attraction of foreign investments in logistics and processing
– Diversification of export mineral agenda, expanding production of critical and strategic minerals.
