Brazil’s exports of rare earth minerals to China surged in the first half of 2025, tripling the total for all of last year and signaling the Latin American nation’s growing, yet still nascent, role in the market for materials crucial to high-tech manufacturing, reports Caixin. Brazil exported $6.7 million worth of the minerals to China in the first six months of the year, according to a report from the Brazil-China Business Council (CEBC).
While the figure is a fraction of the $47.7 billion in total Brazilian exports to China during the same period, the sharp rise is notable given the strategic importance of rare earths, which have become a key bargaining chip in the ongoing trade disputes between Washington and Beijing.
Rare earths are a category consisting of 17 chemical elements that are irreplaceable in many advanced industries. Their most critical application is in the production of high-powered permanent magnets that retain their magnetic properties for decades. These magnets allow for the creation of smaller and lighter components than alternatives, making them essential for manufacturing electric vehicles and wind turbines.