Discussions held in Brasília highlight challenges in regulation, competitiveness, and global integration amid growing competition for investment

By Pedro Augusto

The PDAC 2026 meeting, held this month in Brasília, pointed to a movement of strategic repositioning of Brazil’s mining sector in the international landscape, with a focus on governance, investment attraction, and integration into global value chains. Organized by the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC), in partnership with the law firm Mattos Filho and Innova Public Affairs, the event brought together public- and private-sector representatives to discuss key signals from the international agenda and align priorities for the sector’s development in the country.

The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), held annually in Toronto, is the world’s leading mining convention, bringing together companies, investors, governments, and financial institutions to discuss financing, regulation, and industry trends. The Brasília meeting served as a follow-up to these discussions, translating the main global themes into the Brazilian context at a time when mining is gaining increasing relevance in economic and geopolitical strategies.

For the President of the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada, Hilton Nascimento, the current moment calls for greater coordination among the sector’s different stakeholders. “Brazil has been making consistent progress, but it still needs to better align its policies and its communication with the international market in order to fully seize the opportunities that are emerging.”

The event panelists outlined the key issues currently under discussion on the international stage and their implications for Brazil. The PDAC 2026 – Global Trends and Opportunities for Brazil brought together Pablo Cesário, from the Brazilian Mining Institute (IBRAM), Monica Cesar, from Vale Base Metals, and Marcos Vale, from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), with moderation by Tiago Mattos, from Demarest Advogados.

The discussions pointed to sustained global demand for minerals driven by the energy transition and technological advancement, as well as the need for greater regulatory predictability on an international scale. It was also highlighted that Brazil holds relevant competitive advantages but still faces bottlenecks, particularly in value addition and mineral processing.

The panel The Future of Mining in Brazil – Sector Perspectives after PDAC 2026 brought together Isabela Cunha, from Lundin Mining Brasil, Cinthia Rodrigues, from IBRAM and Women in Mining (WIM), and Saulo Fernando Ribeiro, from Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB), with moderation by Adriano Drummond Trindade, from Mattos Filho.

The discussion addressed Brazil’s institutional environment, considered mature for investment but still challenged by issues such as environmental licensing and timeline predictability. It also highlighted growing international interest in the country and the need to expand private capital participation, as well as the increasing relevance of strategic minerals, such as uranium, in the context of the energy transition.

Also participating in the meeting in Brasília were Ron Klappholz, Senior Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Canada in Brazil; Mauro Henrique Moreira Sousa, Director-General of the National Mining Agency (ANM); Anderson Arruda, Director of the Department of Mineral Transformation and Technology at the Ministry of Mines and Energy; Diego Herrera de Moraes, partner at Mattos Filho and co-chair of the CCBC Brasília Chapter; and Leonardo Machado, Executive Manager of Member and Institutional Relations at CCBC.

Business mission to Canada expands strategic connections

Prior to the Brasília meeting, CCBC led a business mission during PDAC 2026 in Toronto aimed at promoting Brazilian projects and engaging with international investors. The program included participation in events, meetings with financial market stakeholders, and networking initiatives with global mining companies.

Brazil’s presence at the event is strategic to expand connections and attract capital. “Participation in PDAC allows Brazil to position itself more assertively with international investors and partners, while strengthening dialogue with benchmark markets in the mining sector,” said Hilton Nascimento, President of CCBC.

The delegation included representatives from mineral projects and companies operating in Brazil, such as Companhia Baiana de Pesquisa Mineral (CBPM), Strato, and Ferreira Alegria Advogados. It also featured regulatory experts such as Azevedo Sette Advogados and William Freire Advogados, as well as Oretec. Among the international players present was Pan American Silver.