Brazil’s critical, strategic minerals sector employs 129,000 people

Brazil's critical and strategic minerals sector supports 129,423 jobs in 2025, constituting 57 percent of the 226,634 positions within the nation's mineral extraction industry. This represents an 8.6 percent increase in employment compared to 2023. The Critical and Strategic Minerals Portal, established recently by Brazil's National Mining Agency, provides comprehensive information on this vital sector.

The states with the highest job counts in this industry are Minas Gerais, with 62,631 positions, followed by Pará (27,047) and Bahia (9,147). Notably, men make up 78 percent of these jobs, amounting to 100,765 positions. Women occupy the remaining 22 percent, totaling 28,658 jobs. A significant 51,714 of these roles demand skilled labor, encompassing 23 percent of the total workforce. Among these skilled positions, 30,707 are held by individuals with a college degree, constituting 14 percent of the overall employment.

Iron ore mining leads the list of minerals requiring the most workers, with 70,027 jobs, followed by precious metals, which account for 21,313 jobs. Geospatial data from the portal reveals that Parauapebas in Pará state employs the most workers in these sectors, with 8,234 jobs. Other municipalities with substantial employment in critical and strategic minerals include Nova Lima in Minas Gerais with 8,218 jobs, and Congonhas, also in Minas Gerais, with 7,114 jobs.