Photo: screengrab from the official website of Brasil 247

By Brasil 247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira on Thursday presided over the first meeting of Brazil's National Mining Policy Council (CNPM), a body created to set long-term guidelines for the country's mineral industry and reactivated after years of dormancy.

According to a report by O Globo, the relaunch of the council comes at a pivotal moment — as the US seeks closer cooperation with Brazil on the exploration of critical and strategic minerals, essential to the global transition to clean energy. For the Brazilian government, Washington's growing interest could serve as leverage in negotiations to lift tariffs on Brazilian exports.

The meeting's central mission, Silveira said, is to design a comprehensive national strategy for sustainable resource development, aligning mining policy with industrial and environmental goals. "We are not just talking about extraction," he said earlier this week. "We're talking about technological sovereignty and energy security."

The Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram) estimates that Brazil holds about 10% of the world's known reserves, though it currently accounts for only 0.09% of global production.

The CNPM, originally established in late 2022, had remained inactive until Lula's administration decided to overhaul its structure and purpose. A new decree signed this year outlines its updated mandate and composition, which includes representatives from 16 ministries, such as Foreign Affairs, Finance, Environment, Science and Technology, Industry, and Justice, as well as the Institutional Security Cabinet.

The council will be chaired by Minister Silveira and will also feature representatives from mining municipalities, universities, civil society organizations, and industry experts, all serving two-year terms.

The revival of the CNPM underscores Brazil's ambition to position itself as a key global supplier in the green economy — not as a mere exporter of raw materials, but as a strategic player in the new energy order.

(Reported by Brasil 247 on October 16, 2025)