By Brazil Stock Guide – Petrobras (PETR4 BZ, PBR US) and Brazil’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development, known as BNDES, signed an agreement Monday to evaluate research, development and innovation opportunities in critical and strategic minerals linked to the energy transition and the oil and gas industry.
The partnership is designed to allow the state-controlled oil company and BNDES to exchange information and assess gaps in productive and technological capacity, as well as projects already underway, initiatives under development and potential new ventures.
The agreement comes as Brazil seeks to strengthen its position in supply chains tied to low-carbon technologies, energy security and higher-value industrial production. Critical minerals are increasingly seen as essential inputs for technologies used in electrification, renewable energy and the broader transition to a lower-carbon economy.
Petrobras said the initiative may help identify synergies between its oil and gas operations and new technology development in strategic mineral chains.
“Critical and strategic minerals play a central role in enabling technologies that are fundamental to energy security and a just energy transition. Through this partnership with BNDES, we will be able to study opportunities for synergies with our oil and gas activities and contribute to the development of technology and knowledge, helping Brazil enter this new front with leadership and competence, leading to a low-carbon future,” Petrobras Chief Executive Officer Magda Chambriard said.
BNDES President Aloizio Mercadante said the initiative is part of a broader effort to use Brazil’s natural resources to support higher-technology industrial chains.
“No country will lead the industry of the future without mastering knowledge about its strategic resources and applied technologies. Analyzing the productive capacity of critical minerals is the first step toward developing investment opportunities, adding value to our natural wealth and positioning Brazil in global chains with higher technological content, a priority of President Lula’s government,” Mercadante said.
The agreement was signed during an event marking BNDES’ 74th anniversary. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Mercadante and Chambriard attended the ceremony.
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