Prospector Trails
Mining by country/South America
Brazil is the world's largest mine producer of niobium. It is in the world top three for beryllium (#2), iron ore (#2), vanadium (#3), silicon (#3). The story below follows its minerals from the ground to the economy, the export ports and the mines.
01 · What it digs
Brazil mined 93% of the world's niobium in 2025, ranking #1. Across the 34 minerals we track it holds a share of at least 0.5% in 19.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, mine stage, latest year per mineral. Columns on the globe: every producer of niobium.
02 · Mining in the economy
Mineral rents came to 4.5% of Brazil's GDP in 2021, higher than 88% of the countries the World Bank reports; ores and metals made up 12% of its merchandise exports in 2025. GDP was $2,280bn in 2025.
World Bank WDI: mineral rents (NY.GDP.MINR.RT.ZS) and ores and metals exports (TX.VAL.MMTL.ZS.UN). The globe shades every country by mineral rents.
03 · Six years of output
Mine production, niobium, beryllium, iron ore, tin, USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2022 to 2026 (each year as last reported).
04 · Where it goes
Its largest mineral export line in the trade data is iron ore: $22.7bn in 2024, led by China ($19.8bn), Malaysia ($1.5bn), Egypt ($0.5bn).
CEPII BACI bilateral trade, by value; arcs run from Brazil to the buyer.
05 · Jurisdiction
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators put Brazil at -0.49 on rule of law in 2025, higher than 35% of countries. These are perception-based estimates on a scale from −2.5 to +2.5; they describe the operating environment, not any company.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators. The globe shades every country by rule of law.
06 · Mines and projects
40 mines in Brazil have output figures in open mine databases; the largest by reported output are below. Listed companies hold 44 projects here, shown as dots.
What Brazil mines: niobium (93% of world output, #1), beryllium (19% of world output, #2), iron ore (16% of world output, #2), tin (9.7% of world output, #4). Mineral rents are 4.5% of GDP. Below: 44 projects held by listed companies and 68 mines from open mine databases.
Brazil in numbers: the infographic
| Mineral | World share | World rank | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niobium | 93% | 1 | 2025 |
| Beryllium | 19% | 2 | 2025 |
| Iron ore | 16% | 2 | 2025 |
| Tin | 9.7% | 4 | 2025 |
| Tantalum | 7.6% | 4 | 2025 |
| Aluminium and bauxite | 7.5% | 4 | 2025 |
| Vanadium | 4.8% | 3 | 2025 |
| Lithium | 4.1% | 6 | 2025 |
| Manganese | 4% | 5 | 2025 |
| Chromium | 3.9% | 5 | 2025 |
| Graphite (natural) | 3.6% | 4 | 2025 |
| Silicon | 3.4% | 3 | 2025 |
| Gold | 2.4% | 13 | 2025 |
| Phosphate rock | 2% | 8 | 2025 |
| Magnesium | 1.8% | 3 | 2025 |
| Nickel | 1.8% | 7 | 2025 |
| Fluorspar | 1% | 7 | 2025 |
| Potash | 0.6% | 12 | 2025 |
| Rare earths | 0.5% | 9 | 2025 |
| Project | Company | Minerals | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arapua Fertiliser Project (KP Fertil) incl. Arapua rare earth targets | Harvest Minerals | Phosphate rock, Potash, Rare earths | Producing |
| Coringa mine (Serra, Meio, Galena, Serra South zones) | Serabi Gold | Gold | Producing |
| Grota do Cirilo Lithium Project (Greentech Plant + Xuxa/Barreiro/Murial/Lavra do Meio/Nezinho do Chicao pegmatites) | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Producing |
| Mibra (Volta Grande) mine | AMG Critical Materials | Feldspar, Lithium, Niobium, Tantalum, Tin | Producing |
| Palito Complex (Palito mine, Piaui, G3, Senna, Barrichello) | Serabi Gold | Gold | Producing |
| Xuxa (Phase 1 mine) | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Producing |
| Amapa Iron Ore Project (DEV Mineracao: mine, beneficiation plant, railway, Santana port) | Cadence Minerals | Iron ore | Development |
| Azteca plant (Amapa site restart, Dyke 5 stockpile/tailings) | Cadence Minerals | Iron ore | Development |
| Barreiro (Phase 2) | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Development |
| Cabaçal Cu-Au-Ag VMS | Meridian Mining | Copper, Gold, Silver | Development |
| Colina Lithium Project (Salinas Lithium Project: Colina Deposit and Fog's Block) | PLS Group | Lithium | Development |
| Gold Recovery Brazil - Joao Pinheiro spiral plant | Goldplat | Gold | Development |
| Murial (Phase 3/4) | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Development |
| Nezinho do Chicao (NDC, Phase 3) | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Development |
| Ariquemes tin portfolio | Meridian Mining | Tin | Exploration |
| Capao Bonito REE Project (Scanty) | Harvest Minerals | Rare earths | Exploration |
| Carambei REE Project (Scanty) | Harvest Minerals | Rare earths | Exploration |
| Cerro Azul REE Project (Scanty) | Harvest Minerals | Rare earths | Exploration |
| Espigão IOCG Cu-Au polymetallic | Meridian Mining | Copper, Gold | Exploration |
| Genipapo property | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Exploration |
| Guaratinga REE Project (Scanty) | Harvest Minerals | Rare earths | Exploration |
| Iguatama agricultural limestone project | Harvest Minerals | agricultural limestone | Exploration |
| Itapeva REE Project (Scanty) | Harvest Minerals | Rare earths | Exploration |
| Jauru and Araputanga greenstone belt licences | Meridian Mining | Copper, Gold, Zinc | Exploration |
| Lavra do Meio | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Exploration |
| Mandacaru Phosphate Project | Harvest Minerals | Phosphate rock | Exploration |
| Matilda Cu-Au porphyry project | Serabi Gold | Copper, Gold, Molybdenum | Exploration |
| Maxixe | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Exploration |
| Molly Gold Project (Molly 1, Molly 2, Vivi, Boomerang) | Jangada Mines | Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Zinc | Exploration |
| Mucambo REE Project (Scanty) | Harvest Minerals | Rare earths | Exploration |
| Paranaita Gold Project (TP1, TP2, TP3.2) | Jangada Mines | Gold | Exploration |
| Pitombeiras Vanadium Project (North, South, Goela) | Jangada Mines | Iron ore, Titanium minerals, Vanadium | Exploration |
| Santa Clara property (Elvira prospect) | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Exploration |
| Santa Helena Cu-Au-Ag-Zn-Pb VMS (incl. Álamo trend) | Meridian Mining | Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Zinc | Exploration |
| Sao Domingos project (Toucano and Atacadao trends) | Serabi Gold | Gold | Exploration |
| Sao Jose property | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Exploration |
| Sergi Potash Project | Harvest Minerals | Potash | Exploration |
| Sguario REE Project (Scanty) | Harvest Minerals | Rare earths | Exploration |
| Tamboril | Sigma Lithium | Lithium | Exploration |
| Uberaba Project (Mosaic phosphogypsum, Minas Gerais) | Rainbow Rare Earths | Rare earths | Exploration |
| Sao Chico mine (Palito Complex) | Serabi Gold | Gold | Care and maintenance |
| Capela Potash Project | Harvest Minerals | Potash | Closed |
| Mirante de Serra Mn | Meridian Mining | mn | Closed |
| Miriri Phosphate Project | Harvest Minerals | Phosphate rock | Closed |
| Mine | Minerals | Operator | Latest published output |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGA Mineracao | Gold | 10.3 t (2018) | |
| AGA Mineracao - Corrego do Sitio 1 | Gold | ||
| AGA Mineracao - Corrego do Sitio 2 | Gold | ||
| AGA Mineracao - Cuiaba | Gold | ||
| AGA Mineracao - Lamego | Gold | ||
| Amapa | Iron ore | 712,000 t (2008) | |
| Andorinhas | Gold | 0.273 t (2016) | |
| Andrade | Iron ore | 3,200,000 t (2010) | |
| Antas | Copper, Gold | 6,810 t (2019) | |
| Araxa | Phosphate rock | 1,111,000 t (2013) | |
| Azul | Manganese | 1,003,000 t (2019) | |
| Barro Alto | Nickel, Manganese | 34,900 t (2020) | |
| Cajati | Phosphate rock | 640,000 t (2013) | |
| Casa de Pedra | Iron ore | CSN Mineracao | 19,655,125 t (2019) |
| Catalao | Niobium, Phosphate rock | CMOC Brasil | |
| Catalao Phosphate | Phosphate rock | 1,057,000 t (2013) | |
| Chapada | Copper, Gold, Silver | Mineração Maracá Indústria e Comércio S/A | 58,604 t (2018) |
| Codemin | Nickel, Manganese | 8,600 t (2020) | |
| Copebras | Phosphate rock | 982,100 t (2008) | |
| Corumba | Iron ore | 2,400,000 t (2019) | |
| Fazenda | Gold | 2.09 t (2012) | |
| Fernandinho | Iron ore | 394,670 t (2019) | |
| Fortaleza | Nickel | 6,000 t (2003) | |
| Itabira | Gold, Iron ore | 0.03 t (2004) | |
| Itatiaiucu | Iron ore | 7,389,000 t (2019) | |
| Jacobina | Gold | Jacobina Mineração e Comércio S. A. (JMC) | 4.97 t (2019) |
| Juruti | Aluminium and bauxite | Alcoa | 6,000,000 t (2019) |
| Mariana | Iron ore | 11,300,000 t (2019) | |
| Mariana - Alegria | Iron ore | ||
| Mariana - Fazendao | Iron ore | ||
| Mariana - Timbopeba | Iron ore | ||
| Miguel Burnier | Iron ore | 6,130,000 t (2019) | |
| Minas Centrais | Iron ore | 25,900,000 t (2019) | |
| Minas Centrais - Agua Limpa | Iron ore | ||
| Minas Centrais - Brucutu | Iron ore | ||
| Minas Centrais - Corrego do Meio | Iron ore | ||
| Minas Centrais - Gongo Soco | Iron ore | ||
| Minas Itabirito | Iron ore | 40,100,000 t (2016) | |
| Minas Itabirito - Sapecado/Galinheiro | Iron ore | ||
| Minas Itabirito - Segredo/Joao Pereira | Iron ore | ||
| Morro Velho | Gold | 5.81 t (2002) | |
| Morro da Mina | Manganese | 200,000 t (2019) | |
| Morro do Ouro | Gold | 5.33 t (2004) | |
| Onca Puma | Nickel | 4,494 t (2019) | |
| Paracatu | Gold | Kinross Gold | 16.2 t (2018) |
| Paragominas | Aluminium and bauxite | Hydro | 7,400,000 t (2019) |
| Paraopeba | Iron ore | 24,700,000 t (2019) | |
| Paraopeba - Capao Xavier | Iron ore | ||
| Paraopeba - Corrego do Feijao | Iron ore | ||
| Paraopeba - Jangada | Iron ore | ||
| Paraopeba - Mar Azul | Iron ore | ||
| Patos de Minas | Phosphate rock | 53,000 t (2013) | |
| Pitinga | Tin, Niobium, Tantalum | Mineracao Taboca (Minsur) | |
| Pocos de Caldas | Aluminium and bauxite | Alcoa Corp. | 300,000 t (2019) |
| Porto Trombetas (MRN) | Aluminium and bauxite | Mineracao Rio do Norte | 13,134,000 t (2018) |
| Salobo | Copper, Gold | 189,000 t (2019) | |
| Samarco | Iron ore | Samarco | 10,808,000 t (2016) |
| Sao Francisco | Gold | 2.36 t (2008) | |
| Serra Azul | Iron ore | ||
| Serra Grande | Gold | 3.69 t (2018) | |
| Serra Leste | Iron ore | 4,200,000 t (2016) | |
| Serra Norte | Iron ore | 115,300,000 t (2019) | |
| Serra Sul | Iron ore | 58,000,000 t (2018) | |
| Sossego | Copper, Gold | 66,000 t (2019) | |
| Tapira | Phosphate rock | 1,869,000 t (2013) | |
| Taquari-Vassouras | Potash | 492,000 t (2013) | |
| Urucum | Iron ore, Manganese | 411,000 t (2019) | |
| Vargem Grande | Iron ore | 13,100,000 t (2019) |
Aluminium and bauxite minesChromium minesCopper minesFluorspar minesGold minesGraphite (natural) minesIron ore minesLead minesLithium minesManganese minesMolybdenum minesNickel minesNiobium minesPhosphate rock minesPotash minesRare earths minesSilver minesTantalum minesTin minesTitanium minerals minesVanadium minesZinc mines
World shares: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, latest year per mineral. Mineral rents, exports and governance: World Bank WDI and WGI. Trade: CEPII BACI. Projects: listed companies' announcements.