Brazil installs long-delayed National Mining Policy Council

Brazil formally installs its National Mining Policy Council after a three-year delay, setting the stage for a new National Mining Plan and reforms targeting critical minerals, sustainability, and sector oversight.

More than three years after its creation by Decree No. 11,108 of June 29, 2022, Brazil has officially installed the National Mining Policy Council (Conselho Nacional de Política Mineral – CNPM). The inaugural session, held on October 16, 2025, marks a decisive step toward overhauling Brazil’s mining governance and aligning the sector with the country’s broader economic and environmental goals.

Chaired by the Minister of Mines and Energy, the CNPM brings together 18 federal government ministers and the CEO of the Brazilian Geological Service (CPRM). Representatives from state and municipal governments, civil society, and academic institutions will also be invited to join the council, ensuring a broad, multi-stakeholder approach to mining policy.

A new roadmap for Brazil’s mining industry

One of the council’s first actions was to initiate work on a new National Mining Plan, replacing the outdated National Mining Plan 2030 established in 2011. The updated plan is expected to be released for public consultation in the coming months and will serve as the framework for long-term investment, environmental regulation, and technological modernization of the mining sector.

Working groups to tackle key challenges

To guide the policy renewal, the CNPM launched four technical working groups tasked with analyzing and proposing improvements in strategic areas:

• Inspection Fees and Financial Charges:
  This group will review the transparency and proportionality of mineral resource inspection fees levied by state governments, assess financial obligations for mining rights holders, and benchmark international best practices to propose a fairer and more efficient framework.
• Critical and Strategic Minerals:
  A second group will design a national strategy for critical and strategic minerals, exploring fiscal incentives, financial guarantees, and special tax regimes to boost exploration and production. It will also examine mechanisms for intergovernmental cooperation on resource management.
• Mining and Sustainable Development:
  This team will focus on integrating mining into sustainability and socioeconomic development policies, especially in the context of environmental licensing for critical minerals. It will address overlapping land uses, support for artisanal and small-scale mining, and the establishment of protected areas.
• Oversight of Mining Activities:
  The final group will assess the inspection and monitoring mechanisms of Brazil’s mineral sector, with special attention to the role of the National Mining Agency (ANM) and its coordination with state authorities. The aim is to reduce regulatory overlaps and strengthen institutional capacity.

Toward a modern, resilient mining framework

The installation of the CNPM signals the Brazilian government’s renewed commitment to building a modern, transparent, and sustainable mining policy. By focusing on critical and strategic minerals, improved regulatory oversight, and socio-environmental integration, the council aims to position Brazil as a global player in the responsible supply of key materials for the energy transition.

As the country moves forward with the new National Mining Plan, stakeholders across industry, government, and academia will be closely watching how the CNPM translates its ambitious agenda into actionable policy — and whether it can deliver the institutional reforms the mining sector has long awaited.