President Lula Rejects US Proposal for Critical Minerals Access

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rejected a proposal from the administration of US President Donald Trump that sought priority access to Brazil's critical minerals. The US request sought priority for American companies and required advance notice of strategic mineral asset sales before deals were finalized.

President Lula described the terms as unacceptable and obsolete, stating that the document was consigned to dead files without further negotiation. He noted that the proposal was rejected immediately upon receipt because it was unacceptable for another country to have priority over Brazil's mineral wealth.

To secure domestic control, President Lula signed a law on September 17, 2026, establishing the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals. This legislation creates the National Council for the Industrialization of Critical and Strategic Minerals, supporting a strategy to process and manufacture minerals within Brazil to export value-added goods rather than raw materials.