SUBSTANCES

More than fifteen substances, four industrial chains

Each substance is here for what it becomes at the end of the chain, not for the geology of the deposit in isolation.

CHAINS

Four industrial chains

Energy transition
Graphite and rare earths, the two inputs that electrification does not replace: battery anodes and permanent magnets.
Semiconductors and solar
High-purity silica for the silicon chain: photovoltaic panels, electronics and semiconductors.
Metals and ferrous
Iron, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, nickel and gold: the base of steelmaking, metallurgy and the power grid.
Mineral inputs
Titanium, phosphate, limestone, gneiss and industrial sand, for agriculture, construction and industrial processes.

All substances

  • Graphite sample, metallic in lustre with visible flakes

    High-purity graphite

    Input for lithium-ion battery anodes, with fronts in Jequitinhonha, Malacacheta and Ibicaraí.

  • Pile of white, fine-grained quartz sand

    Quartz sand

    Grade of 99.88% purity, with potential for the 5N standard required by the silicon industry.

  • Iron ore sample, with metallic grey faces and orange oxidation

    Iron ore

    Raw material for steelmaking, present in the Perdões, Barbacena and Barão projects.

  • Set of rare earth mineral samples, in shades of orange, brown and black

    Rare earths (REE)

    Base of the permanent magnets used in electric motors and in high-technology applications.

  • Milky white quartz crystal

    High-purity quartz

    Direct application in the electronics industry and in the semiconductor chain.

  • Manganese sample, black and metallic in lustre, with fragments alongside

    Manganese

    Used as a desulphurising agent and as an alloy in steel production.

  • Copper ore sample, with green and bluish crusts

    Copper

    The electrical conductor of electrification: transmission grid, motors, transformers and cabling.

  • Zinc ore sample, reddish brown

    Zinc

    Applied in the galvanising of steel, a process that protects the structure against corrosion.

  • Lead ore sample, with metallic grey crystals

    Lead

    Used in industrial batteries and in shielding against ionising radiation.

  • Nickel ore sample, with a silvery, faceted surface

    Nickel

    Component of stainless steel and of high energy density battery cathodes.

  • Gold sample, with an intense yellow lustre

    Gold

    A store-of-value metal and an input for electrical contacts in the electronics industry.

  • Titanium ore sample, dark with a bluish lustre

    Titanium

    White pigment for paints and plastics, and a metal alloy of high mechanical strength.

  • Phosphate rock sample, in blue-green tones

    Phosphate

    Input for the fertiliser industry, the base of Brazilian agricultural production.

  • Limestone sample, white with an irregular surface

    Limestone

    Soil conditioner and an input for the cement industry and for metallurgy.

  • Gneiss sample, with light and dark banding

    Gneiss

    Rock used as crushed stone and aggregate in construction and paving.

  • Pile of industrial sand, ochre in colour

    Industrial sand

    Aggregate for construction and an input for a range of industrial processes.

The descriptions present the industrial application of each substance. A substance mapped in the portfolio does not imply production or commercialisation under way.