"Critical minerals ‘surround’ 45 isolated indigenous peoples in the Amazon", 27 October 2025

...MINING companies are seeking to explore minerals crucial to the technology sector close to at least 45 isolated Indigenous groups across Brazil’s Legal Amazon.

An exclusive Repórter Brasil investigation found 1,827 applications to mine copper, lithium, rare earths, and 13 other elements—materials used in products like microchips, wind turbines and electric vehicles—within 40 kilometers of these isolated communities.

Mining at this distance puts Indigenous populations at risk...

The 40-kilometer rule is based on scientific research and environmental standards...

Repórter Brasil found these 1,827 mining requests affecting isolated peoples’ territories came from 567 entities—companies, cooperatives or individuals—including Anglo American Níquel Ltda, Vale and Bemisa...

Among those affected are the Moxihatëtëa of Serra da Estrutura, an isolated community inside the Yanomami Indigenous Land. This area, already devastated by illegal gold mining, is surrounded by 228 mining applications for tin, niobium, tantalum and other minerals...

Overall, 30 conservation areas and Indigenous territories with records of isolated peoples are affected...

Anglo American is a member of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), committed to social and environmental responsibility. Under this framework, it announced in 2021 it would withdraw from all mining processes on Indigenous lands in Brazil.

Asked for comment, Anglo American said it holds “no licenses or plans to conduct exploration on Indigenous lands or in primary forests in Brazil.” The company did not address the potential consequences of its activities for isolated Indigenous groups...

In a statement to Repórter Brasil, Vale said it “has no active mining processes in the vicinity” of these Indigenous lands. The company said information on the National Mining Agency’s website “may be being updated, possibly resulting in inaccurate analysis,” and noted “processes renounced by Vale may still appear on the site.”

Bemisa Holding S.A., a mining group with operations across Brazil, is involved in 26 proceedings that impact isolated communities. The company recently was the winner of a public call for proposals from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) to support strategic mineral business plans.

When contacted, Bemisa said it “does not conduct any mining activities on Indigenous lands or in areas that could affect Indigenous peoples, including isolated communities.” See the companies’ full statements...