Governments across the Americas are entering 2026 with a renewed focus on reshaping mining policy.
With mounting supply chain pressures and geopolitical risk, governments have transitioned to push critical minerals higher up the political agenda.
Brazil opens long-term mining policy review
In Brazil, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has launched a public consultation to update the country’s National Mining Plan 2050.
The consultation, which is open until February 8, invites input from industry, academia, and civil society as the government prepares a revised version of the plan originally drafted in 2022.
“The initiative aims to improve the main long-term planning instrument of Brazilian Mineral Policy, which guides the sustainable development of the mineral sector in the 2025–2050 horizon, considering economic, social, environmental, and governance aspects,” the ministry said in a statement.
Officials said the update incorporates guidance from the National Council for Mineral Policy and places greater emphasis on measurable outcomes and long-term strategic objectives.
Already the world’s largest iron ore exporter, Brazil has increasingly promoted its potential in lithium, rare earths, copper, and other strategic materials. Investor interest in these segments has intensified as governments and manufacturers look to diversify supply chains away from China.
Trump admin backs Congressional effort to reverse Minnesota mining ban
The Trump administration and congressional Republicans are moving to overturn a Biden-era ban on mining in northern Minnesota, a decision that locked up access to one of North America’s largest undeveloped copper, nickel, and cobalt resources.
The effort centers on a Congressional Review Act resolution introduced by Representative Pete Stauber that would nullify a 20-year mineral withdrawal covering more than 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest.
Issued in January 2023, the withdrawal effectively blocked development of Antofagasta’s Twin Metals project within the Duluth Complex.
“The Biden Administration’s decision to enact its illegal mining ban in Northern Minnesota was not only an attack on our way of life and cost countless good-paying, union jobs, it also put our nation’s mineral security at risk,” Stauber said in a statement, adding that the ban “cemented [the US’] reliance on foreign adversarial nations like China for critical minerals.”
Under the Congressional Review Act, successful passage of the resolution would not only overturn the withdrawal but also bar future administrations from implementing substantially similar bans.
The Trump administration formally transmitted the original land order to Congress, making it eligible for review.
Mexico accelerates permitting reset through 2026
Elsewhere in North America, Mexico is signaling a more pragmatic turn after years of stalled permitting.
Federal officials say a shift in administrative policy has unlocked an estimated US$11 billion pipeline of mining investments by clearing backlogs related to environmental and water approvals.
Fernando Aboitiz, head of the Extractive Activities Coordination Unit at Mexico’s Ministry of Economy, said the government inherited 176 stalled projects and has resolved 110 through an accelerated review process. The remaining cases are expected to be cleared by mid-2026.
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard has said the government intends to accelerate permit approvals in 2026. “Securing supply chains is a national priority given the current global context,” Ebrard said at the International Mining Convention last year.
Ecuador tightens royalties, reopens access to new concessions
In Ecuador, the government has moved in the opposite direction by tightening oversight even as it reopens access to new concessions.
President Daniel Noboa signed Executive Decree 273 at the end of 2025 that revised royalty formulas and expanded regulatory requirements for mining companies.
The new rules impose royalties of between 3 and 8 percent of revenues for medium and large-scale metallic mining while strengthening documentation and compliance obligations.
Despite the tougher framework, Ecuador has reopened its mining concessions registry after a seven-year closure, with plans to fully reopen it for all mining types in early 2026. The sector generated US$3 billion in exports in 2024 and supported 55,000 direct jobs.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.