Brazil has experienced a notable rise in interest for critical minerals such as rare earth elements, markedly impacting the demand for natural resource exploration. In 2025, the National Mining Agency (ANM) reported an 81% increase in research authorizations for mineral exploration, with a jump in requests from the first to the fourth quarter of the previous year. This surge highlights the growing global attention to securing vital mineral resources necessary for advanced technologies.

In the first quarter of 2025, a total of 1,637 mineral research requests were submitted, contrasting sharply with the 2,960 requests filed during the latter part of the year between October and December. The total count of mineral research requests for the entire previous year reached 9,319. The spike in these requests reflects not only the burgeoning market demand but also the agency's struggles to manage and analyze the growing volume of applications successfully, as detailed in a report completed this month.

The ANM indicated that the market momentum surrounding critical minerals has had a particularly strong influence on the number of applications in the latter half of November and December. This urgent demand for minerals underscores the importance of Brazil in the global landscape for critical mineral resources, which are becoming increasingly essential for sustainable technologies and economic growth in various sectors.