Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on 6 August that his administration will adopt a new framework classifying strategic minerals as a matter of national sovereignty. The approach is intended to give the federal government greater oversight of exploration and trade in key resources such as nickel, lithium, rare earths and copper. Lula emphasised that Brazil will no longer allow the export of unprocessed strategic ores, pledging instead to require domestic processing and higher local value-added before any shipments leave the country. He said the measure seeks to reverse a historical pattern in which Brazil exported raw minerals and imported higher-value manufactured products. Details of the forthcoming regulations were not disclosed, but the president signalled that the policy will align with efforts to expand industrial capacity and attract investment into downstream sectors, including battery and clean-energy supply chains. The statement comes as global demand for critical minerals accelerates amid the transition to electric vehicles and renewable power.