en.Wedoany.com Reported - Australian-listed exploration company Brazilian Critical Minerals Ltd (ASX: BCM) formally submitted two applications for Mining Guidelines (Guia de Utilização, GU) to the Brazilian National Mining Agency (ANM) in mid-June 2026, concerning the Ema ionic adsorption rare earth project located in the Apuí region of Amazonas State, Brazil. Earlier, in early June 2026, the ANM had approved the final exploration reports for two mining concession areas of the project. The Mining Guideline is a special licensing mechanism under Brazilian mining regulations, allowing controlled mineral extraction before the formal grant of a mining concession.
Brazilian Critical Minerals Ltd (ASX: BCM) is an Australian listed company focused on the exploration of rare earth and gold projects in Brazil, headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. The Ema project is the company's flagship asset, located in the Apuí region of Amazonas State, covering a total area of 781 square kilometers. The project is one of the few known ionic adsorption rare earth deposits globally suitable for development using In-Situ Recovery (ISR) technology. According to the company's resource estimate updated in April 2026, the Ema project has total resources of 1.071 billion tonnes, with an average Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) grade of 732 ppm, including indicated resources of 392 million tonnes.
The Mining Guideline application is a critical step for the Ema project as it transitions from the exploration phase to the development phase. Under Brazilian mining regulations, after the ANM approves the final exploration report, the concession holder has one year to submit a formal mining license application. The Mining Guideline serves as an interim permit, allowing the company to conduct trial mineral extraction before the formal mining concession is granted, in order to verify the project's economic viability. Managing Director Andrew Reid stated that the ANM's approval of the final exploration report is a "significant regulatory milestone" for the Ema project, which has now officially entered the mining application pipeline. The company is currently advancing the preparation of a feasibility study, which is expected to be completed by June 2026.
Regarding environmental licensing, the environmental permit application submitted by the company to the Amazonas State Environmental Protection Agency in May 2025 is still under review. The Ema project employs the In-Situ Recovery process, which eliminates the need for traditional open-pit mining and tailings dams, and does not cause additional deforestation. The project is also advancing a feasibility study, expected to be completed by June 2026. If successfully developed, the project would become the first rare earth project in the Western world to utilize In-Situ Recovery technology.
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