The SGB (Brazilian Geological Survey) identified significant concentrations of rare earths in areas of São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina and will expand field research in the regions later this year.
In an interview with CNN, the director of Geology and Mineral Resources at SGB, Francisco Valdir Silveira, stated that the results obtained in the region reinforce the potential already highlighted by previous surveys by the state-owned company.
According to him, in some samples collected in the field in the three states, technicians found concentrations of rare earths above 8,000 parts per million. In practice, this means that, for every 1 million parts of the sample analyzed, more than 8,000 corresponded to rare earth elements. The level is considered significant for a field sample and helps to confirm the geological potential of the region.
The measurement is made using the TREE indicator, an acronym used to represent the total content of rare earth elements present in a sample.
“The results obtained in Vale do Ribeira only reinforce and confirm the high potential already expected for the region, previously indicated by regional studies conducted by the SGB within the scope of the project to assess the potential of rare earth elements in Brazil, Faixas Ribeira area”, stated Silveira.
The survey is part of the project “Assessment of Rare Earth Potential in Brazil São Paulo and Paraná Stage”, conducted by SGB.
The activities covered the municipalities of Itupeva, Alumínio, Morungaba, Capão Bonito, Juquiá, Jacupiranga, Cajati, Itapirapuã Paulista and Cananéia, in São Paulo; Cerro Azul, Castro, Carambeí and Tijucas do Sul, in Paraná; in addition to Joinville and Garuva, in Santa Catarina.
According to the SGB, the choice of these areas was made based on the “Map of the Potential of Rare Earth Elements in the Ribeira Belt and the southern Brasília Belt”. The survey, carried out on a regional scale, indicated sectors most favorable to the occurrence of these minerals.
Based on this mapping, the agency selected priority areas for more detailed studies. The work includes collecting soil and rock samples, reprocessing and interpreting geophysical and geochemical data.
According to Silveira, these tools are fundamental for mineral prospecting, because they help to reduce geological uncertainties and guide future research stages.
The next field phase should take place later this year and will include, among others, the municipalities of Sete Barras, Tapiraí, Piedade and Natividade da Serra, in São Paulo.
Despite the positive results, the advancement of research does not mean that there is, today, an economically viable deposit or a mining project ready to get off the ground.
This is an initial stage of generating geological knowledge, with a pre-competitive nature.
In practice, SGB does not act as a mining company. Its role is to produce basic geological information, reduce uncertainties and offer technical subsidies for public planning and future decisions in the mineral sector.
This type of survey could, in the future, help companies, universities, state governments and regulatory bodies to identify regions with greater potential for mineral research.
But the transformation of a promising area into a commercial operation depends on a long chain of steps: detailed research, definition of resources and reserves, environmental licensing, financing, engineering, economic viability and, eventually, construction of the mine and processing structures.
Rare earths are considered strategic due to their application in technologies linked to the energy transition, the defense industry and electrification. These elements are used, for example, in permanent magnets, electric cars, wind turbines, electronic equipment and high-tech systems.
Brazil is often cited as a country with high geological potential for rare earths, but it still has few projects in an advanced stage of development.
The main challenge is to transform this potential into a real production chain, with mineral research, processing, separation, refining and production of inputs with higher added value.
Today, most of the global rare earth separation and processing chain remains concentrated in China, which has led governments and companies to seek new sources of supply outside the Asian country.
In this context, the mapping conducted by the SGB enters the first link in the chain: the generation of geological information.
The assessment does not replace mineral research carried out by companies, but it reduces the initial exploration risk and helps direct investments to areas with a greater probability of occurrence.
Over the course of this year and next, the SGB plans to make new technical products and reports related to the project available.
