In line with other renowned geological services around the world, the Geological Survey of Brazil (SGB-CPRM) operates in multidisciplinary Earth science research that includes geological mapping; geophysical and geochemical surveys; research into mineral resources; hydrogeological and hydrological monitoring, and studies on land-use planning and management, such as geological risk mapping and geodiversity surveys. These activities provide underpinning for the formulation of policies and planning at all levels of government, as well as for the mining industry and geoscientific teaching and research.
In conducting its basic surveys and research into mineral resources, the Geological Survey of Brazil seeks not only to expand geological knowledge, which fosters a wide range of secondary activities, but also to reduce the exploratory risks of mining, to attract investments, and to strengthen the Brazilian mining industry.
We started 2025 having already, in 2024, consolidated our strategic planning for the coming years, with the aim of optimizing both budgetary resources and our technical expertise. In this context, three fundamental initiatives stand out: the Ten-Year Geological Mapping Plan (PlanGeo 2025-2034), the Deep Earth Exploration Program of Brazil (Deep Brazil), and research targeting the strategic minerals for the energy transition.
PlanGeo 2025-2034 first arose following the publication, in March 2024, of the Mining and Energy Ministry's ordinance 72/GM/MME, laying down guidelines for geological mapping, including public participation in decision-making. Thus, the ten-year plan was structured on the basis of the SGB-CPRM technical team's definition of the priority areas for systematic geological mapping, assisted also by a public consultation channel to take due account of the expectations of the various segments of Brazilian society, in particular those that benefit from the results of geological cartography projects, such as mineral research companies, universities, and public institutions.
PlanGeo 2025-2034 selected 73 blocks for geological mapping. Six of which were included based on technically relevant recommendations received during public hearings. These blocks add up to 354 cartographic sheets, with priority given to 1:100,000 scale. This will expand Brazil's existing mapping coverage by approximately 15 percent. The blocks cover established or emerging mineral provinces, mining districts, and new frontiers of geological knowledge, located mainly in the Amazon region. The selection of blocks took into account the mining industry's needs and opportunities at a global level, as well as Brazil's strategic priorities, emphasizing potential areas for strategic minerals essential to the energy transition and inputs for agriculture, a sector in which Brazil is still heavily dependent on imports, despite the great weight of agribusiness in the country's economy.
The Deep Brazil program had as its starting point the need to expand the SGB-CPRM's existing portfolio of geophysical surveys, which previously focused on airborne magnetic and gamma-ray spectrometry methods. The decision was made to incorporate complementary acquisition techniques, enabling it to reach greater depths, visualize the lithospheric architecture and identify areas with high mineral fertility. Thus, Deep Brazil is a program of systematic acquisition of geophysical data, both airborne and terrestrial, for the purpose of investigating the potential of mineral resources from the topmost meters of the Earth's crust down to depths of hundreds of kilometers. The program includes four main projects:
• Aerogeophysics Brazil, which will restart airborne magnetic and gamma-ray spectrometry surveys, also incorporating electromagnetic and gravimetric methods, depending on the geological context and objective of the survey.
• Grav Brasil and MT Brasil, focusing on terrestrial geophysical surveys, with the acquisition of gravimetric and magnetotelluric data;
• Sismo Brasil, which provides for the acquisition of seismological data for seismic tomography.
Brazil has been a key player in the worldwide debate on energy transition and climate change, driven by factors such as the government's commitment to discuss solutions to the global climate emergency, the profile of the country's energy mix — one of the least carbon-intensive in the world —, the expectations surrounding COP 30 and Brazil's vast geological potential for strategic mineral deposits, essential for the development of low-carbon technologies.
In this context, the Brazilian mining industry plays a crucial role. The Geological Survey of Brazil has developed thematic projects in geological contexts with diverse mineral systems, with potential for lithium, copper, rare earth elements, graphite, nickel, cobalt and uranium.
In these projects, internationally recognized mineral modeling methodologies are used, involving multi-scale integration of geological, geophysical, and geochemical data, as well as the application of advanced processing and spatial data analysis techniques. This allows the prediction of mineral potential in both brownfield and greenfield areas, reducing the risks and costs of mineral exploration, and, at the same time, creating new opportunities for the industry.
The energy transition has been addressed in government policies and financing mechanisms, such as the Ecological Transformation Plan (Finance Ministry), the Climate Fund (Ministry of Environment and Climate Change & National Development Bank), and the Strategic Minerals Equity Investment Fund (Mining and Energy Ministry & National Development Bank). However, it is through the Safe and Sustainable Mining Program, included in the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Plan, that the Geological Survey of Brazil effectively accesses budgetary resources to execute projects, partly financed by the government's Growth Acceleration Program, known as the New PAC.
Although there is a broad consensus on the importance of mining for the technological development required to make the energy transition achievable, this perception does not translate into a significant increase in the funding allocated to the Geological Survey of Brazil for investments in basic geological research. Such investments are essential for the full implementation of initiatives as PlanGeo 2025-2034 and the Deep Brazil Program, both of which will be fundamental in underpinning the advancement of geological knowledge and the discovery of new mineral deposits.
We face the challenge of providing high quality and timely pre-competitive information and data to meet growing demand. In view of the limited resources available, some initiatives are needed that involve the government-industry-academia triad. Among these, five in particular stand out:
• The involvement of state governments in financing geological research conducted by the Geological Survey of Brazil;
• The establishment of government-industry-academia partnerships to develop programs of mutual interest;
• The regulation of access to and custody of data from research and exploration carried out by mining companies;
• The structuring of national databases, held jointly by the Geological Survey of Brazil and the National Mining Agency, for hosting, management, and custody of mineral research data;
• The strengthening of government-academia cooperation in the development of scientific research having an impact on the discovery of new mineral deposits.