# USA Rare Earth Acquires Serra Verde Mine in Brazil

USA Rare Earth completed its acquisition of the Serra Verde rare-earth mine in Minaçu, Goiás, Brazil, on September 3, 2026, just prior to Brazil enacting Law No. 15,506 which establishes a new sovereign screening regime for foreign investments and strategic mineral supply agreements. This acquisition is supported by a comprehensive U.S. government-backed financial and procurement framework exceeding **$1.5 billion**, including a **$300 million cash payment**, a **DFC financing facility up to $565 million**, and a **$750 million investment by the U.S. Department of War** into the offtake special-purpose vehicle. The new Brazilian law empowers regulatory bodies such as the National Mining Agency (ANM) and the National Council for Industrialisation of Critical and Strategic Minerals (CIMCE) to scrutinize future foreign control and supply contracts, aiming to increase domestic value addition and strategic control over critical minerals while respecting constitutional protections for completed transactions.

- **Why this matters:** This acquisition secures a critical supply of rare-earth elements essential for U.S. national security and industrial needs, reflecting a strategic partnership between U.S. government agencies and private sector entities.
- Procurement professionals should note the evolving regulatory environment in Brazil that may affect future foreign investments and contract negotiations in strategic minerals.
- Companies involved in critical minerals supply chains can leverage this precedent for structuring deals with sovereign screening considerations and long-term offtake agreements.
- The involvement of multiple U.S. federal agencies highlights the increasing integration of defense and development finance in securing strategic resources abroad.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Contracting Vehicles, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 20, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
- U.S. Department of War (DoW)
- Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
- Brazilian National Mining Agency (ANM)
- National Council for Industrialisation of Critical and Strategic Minerals (CIMCE)

### Vendors
- USA Rare Earth (acquirer)
- Serra Verde (operating asset)
- US SIIE LLC (U.S.-backed special-purpose vehicle)

### Key Quotes
> The Brazilian and Venezuelan arrangements belong to the same U.S. strategic-resource policy family but not to the same legal model.
> — Analytic Consensus, Protocol HEM-RES-2026

### Sources
- [Brazil’s Rare-Earth Sovereignty Test: U.S.-Backed Capital, Serra Verde and the New Strategic-Minerals Regime - https://debuglies.com](https://debuglies.com/2026/09/20/brazils-rare-earth-sovereignty-test-u-s-backed-capital-serra-verde-and-the-new-strategic-minerals-regime) - debuglies.com