Brazilian Critical Minerals Pushes Ema REE Project Toward Final Permitting with Local Engagement

Brazilian Critical Minerals (ASX: BCM) has received strong local support as it waits upon a final decision for an environmental permit for its Ema ionic adsorbed clay (IAC) rare earth elements (REE) deposit.

The company has engaged with key government officials and local farmers to ensure it has the right environmental strategy in place for the project, located in Brazil’s Apuí region.

BCM management has participated in a series of high-level talks with key local and state government departments, including the Instituto de Proteção Ambiental do Amazonas (IPAAM).

Political and Landowner Discussions

The company has also engaged with the governor of the state of Amazonas, Wilson Miranda Lima.

“The meeting with Governor Lima adds further weight, signalling that the project is now on the radar at the highest level of state leadership,” managing director Andrew Reid said.

“This can help unlock State-level support, create visibility with federal agencies, and build credibility with investors who place a premium on government alignment in frontier jurisdictions.”

He added that the municipal level dialogues with the Mayor and Vice Mayor of Apuí were equally significant, ensuring that local leadership is informed and engaged early in the process, which is critical for securing the social license to operate and helps the community position the project as a partner in local development.

State Land Mandate

Ema is located in an area where state law mandates that 50% of each titled farm property has to be preserved as forest.

However, a small number of farms within the project area have never applied for or received a definitive title—the instrument that guarantees the landowner a 1% royalty from all future rare earth production.

To obtain definitive title, landowners must either rehabilitate deforested areas over and above the required 50% immediately, or make a firm commitment to do so within a specified timeframe.

BCM is now providing legal support to those landowners within the project limits who need to apply for the definitive title, and has also committed to assist with forest rehabilitation where necessary.

Development Plans Progressing

BCM reported earlier this week that it was advancing activities at Ema on multiple fronts, including a bankable feasibility study, multiple offtake agreement discussions, completion of pilot field trials, and initial discussions with potential project financiers.

The company believes the very high rare earth grades and rapid efficiency it achieved in a recent field trial reinforced the project’s scalability using simple low cost in-situ leaching, with a scoping study estimating capex of only $55 million.

The company obtained exceptional pregnant leach solution recoveries that peaked at 3,510 parts per million total rare earth oxides during initial field pilot trials, .

“Every part of the leaching process from solution injection, rapidly permeating solution through the clays to leaching high-grade rare earths into solution is now without peer in the western world,” Mr Reid added.