Brazil Passes Bill to Boost Critical Minerals Industry with $982M in Tax Credits
【SMM Rare Earth Flash】 Brazil's Congress approved on Wednesday a government-backed bill establishing a national policy for critical and strategic minerals. The legislation creates a R$2 billion (approx. US$393 million) Mineral Activity Guarantee Fund and provides R$5 billion (approx. US$982 million) in tax credits over five years for companies processing critical minerals within Brazil. Eligible projects may receive tax credits of up to 20% of qualifying investment expenditures. The bill also establishes the National Council for the Industrialization of Critical and Strategic Minerals (CIMCE), reporting to the Presidency, responsible for defining the list of critical minerals and reviewing transactions involving national sovereignty.Brazil holds the world's second-largest rare earth reserves, estimated at 21 million tonnes. The bill now awaits President Lula's signature and aims to boost domestic processing and value addition of critical minerals. Critics have expressed concerns over potential excessive government intervention.