On March 26, 2026, São Paulo’s bustling AmCham headquarters hosted a gathering that could shape the future of global energy and technology supply chains. The U.S.-Brazil Forum on Critical Minerals brought together more than 300 business executives, investors, senior officials from both governments, and representatives from major development finance institutions. Their mission: to forge deeper cooperation on critical mineral supply chains and to reinforce Brazil’s emerging role as a linchpin in both the green energy revolution and the world’s shifting geopolitical landscape.
Brazil’s star has been rising for decades, but recent global shocks have cast a new spotlight on its unique strengths. According to The Economist, Brazil has spent the past half-century building what is now the world’s most sophisticated biofuels industry. As the second-largest producer of ethanol and third-largest of biodiesel, Brazil’s agricultural prowess has allowed it to weather oil shocks—like those triggered by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran—far better than most nations. Government mandates require petrol to contain 30% ethanol and diesel 15% biodiesel, some of the highest biofuel blends in the world. Remarkably, three-quarters of Brazil’s light vehicles can run on anything from pure gasoline to 100% ethanol, a flexibility that’s become a secret weapon in uncertain times.
But biofuels are just one piece of Brazil’s energy and industrial puzzle. As highlighted at the U.S.-Brazil Forum, the country is also a global mining powerhouse. It boasts the world’s largest niobium deposits, the second-largest reserves of graphite and rare earths, and the third-largest nickel reserves. The forum’s opening remarks from U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Gabriel Escobar underscored the strategic importance of this resource-rich nation, emphasizing Brazil’s role at the intersection of advanced technology, digital transformation, defense systems, and energy security.
Yet, as impressive as Brazil’s mining portfolio is, there’s a tantalizing sense of untapped potential. Only 27% of its vast geological territory has been mapped, according to figures shared at the forum. Accurate geological data is crucial for identifying new mineral deposits, reducing exploration risk, and attracting the kind of investment that can transform raw resources into engines of growth. Both U.S. and Brazilian officials agreed: expanding geological mapping and resource assessment, especially with modern technologies, is a top priority moving forward.
The U.S. government’s commitment to this partnership was on full display. An interagency delegation—comprising the Departments of State and Energy, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and EXIM Bank—arrived in São Paulo with a clear mandate from Washington: secure deals and deepen ties. “The United States is investing more than any other country in building critical mineral supply chains, both domestically and overseas,” said David Copley, the White House’s Mineral and Supply Chain Czar, during a fireside chat moderated by Ruth Demeter of the Chamber’s Global Energy Institute. He added that the U.S. aims to create a global critical minerals preferential trade zone, complete with price floors to level the playing field.
When asked why Brazil is so central to these plans, Copley’s answer was refreshingly direct: “It makes sense.” He stressed that the U.S. wants to be Brazil’s partner of choice, and that building resilient supply chains with trusted allies like Brazil—where the private sector plays a central role—is a top priority for Washington.
Geopolitics loomed large over the forum’s discussions. Political analysts at a panel session warned that China’s use of critical minerals and rare earths as political leverage has sent shockwaves through global markets, highlighting the urgent need for diversified, secure supply chains. The Americas, they argued, represent a vast reservoir of natural resources, and the U.S. and Brazil are uniquely positioned to build supply chains that are not only secure but also responsible and commercially viable. Still, the panelists cautioned that the market mechanisms needed to fully unlock this potential are still evolving. They also stressed that partnerships should be built on optionality—not exclusivity—giving both nations greater strategic flexibility.
There were notes of caution, too. Panelists urged the U.S. to ensure its engagement aligns with Brazil’s own industrial policy goals, warning that creeping nationalism in minerals policy could undermine the mutual benefits of collaboration. Neil Herrington, Senior Vice President for the Americas at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, reinforced the Chamber’s commitment to deepening bilateral commercial ties. He noted that, with Brazil’s vast natural resources and U.S. technological capabilities and capital, both countries stand to gain much through technology transfer, infrastructure development, and expanded investment. “Together, this minerals partnership has the potential to build resilient, sustainable, and secure supply chains driving industrialization and economic growth on both sides,” Herrington stated.
The forum wasn’t just about high-level speeches. Two sessions dove into Brazil’s significant upstream and midstream potential, with private sector leaders from companies like Aclara Resources, Meteoric Brazil, Viridis Mining & Minerals, and PLS discussing the country’s investment climate, regulatory landscape, and infrastructure needs for scaling critical minerals development. Seven mining companies—including Meteoric, Viridis, South Star Battery Metals, Brazilian Nickel, Atlas Lithium, Sigma Lithium, and St George Mining—pitched their projects on lithium, rare earth elements, nickel, and graphite to a room full of potential investors and partners.
Mobilizing capital for responsible growth was another big theme. The final session brought together representatives from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Japan’s JOGMEC, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), DFC, EXIM Bank, the U.S. Department of Energy, USTDA, and Brazil’s Finep. They discussed tools such as offtaker agreements, blended finance, project preparation facilities, insurance, and public-private partnerships—each a lever to de-risk and accelerate investment in Brazil’s minerals sector.
Amidst all this, Brazil’s biofuels industry—so crucial in insulating the country from oil shocks—remained a recurring example of how strategic investment and policy can yield resilience. According to The Economist, Brazil’s government-mandated blends of 30% ethanol in petrol and 15% biodiesel in diesel are among the highest globally, and three-quarters of its light vehicles come equipped with technology enabling them to burn anything from pure petrol to 100% ethanol. This flexibility, born from decades of innovation, has given Brazil a unique edge as global energy markets grow more volatile.
Looking ahead, the U.S.-Brazil Forum on Critical Minerals demonstrated that the foundation for a transformative partnership is already in place. With strong political will, a robust pipeline of projects, and mounting interest from global investors and development institutions, the path forward is clear: deeper collaboration, smarter investment frameworks, and a shared commitment to building supply chains that are secure, sustainable, and mutually beneficial. As Cassia Carvalho, executive director of the Brazil-U.S. Business Council, put it, both countries have much to gain from a partnership that leverages Brazil’s natural bounty and the U.S.’s technological and financial muscle.
With energy security, industrial growth, and geopolitical influence all on the line, Brazil’s blend of agricultural innovation and mineral wealth may soon make it a global model for resilience—and a partner the world can’t afford to overlook.