Brazilian Rare Earths (BRE) has received a Trial Mining Licence from Brazil's National Mining Agency (ANM) for the Monte Alto rare earth and critical minerals project in Bahia.
The granting of this licence marks a significant regulatory milestone for BRE, bringing Monte Alto a step closer to securing commercial-scale mining approvals.
This licence permits BRE to extract up to 2,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of product from the Monte Alto deposit, facilitating the creation of bulk shipments for potential customer agreements and metallurgical testing at its Camaçari pilot plant.
Trial mining will support the commissioning and functioning of BRE’s pilot plant at the Camaçari Petrochemical Complex, which is projected to start operations in the third quarter of 2026 (Q3 2026).
Featuring a low-impact development strategy, the project aims for quarry-scale operations characterised by dry processing, high-yield ore sorting, minimal water usage, lack of tailings dams and a small operational footprint.
In addition, BRE plans to submit an Economic Development Plan to ANM in Q2 2026.
This submission represents a critical step towards obtaining a full mining concession for commercial operations.
The approval aligns with BRE's integrated ore-to-oxides strategy aimed at supplying feedstock to its pilot plant under construction at Camaçari.
Monte Alto's ultra-high-grade mineralisation supports BRE’s approach to developing an efficient permitting pathway compared to larger-scale mining projects.
The company intends to maintain a capital-efficient model that reduces environmental impact while adhering to regulatory standards.
BRE managing director and CEO Bernardo da Veiga said: “Securing the Trial Mining Licence is a significant milestone for Monte Alto and a major step forward in BRE’s integrated ore-to-oxides development pathway in Brazil.
“This approval reflects the strength of our permitting work, the quality of our engagement with local communities and government stakeholders, and the advantages of Monte Alto’s deliberately low-impact development model.”
In October 2025, BRE secured firm commitments for a placement of 25.6 million new fully paid ordinary shares priced at A$4.68 ($3.05) per share.
