The US has secured rights to rare earths from Brazil's Serra Verde as part of a $565 million loan deal, ensuring American access to critical metals used in technology and defense. Conor Coleman, head of investments at the US International Development Finance Corporation, confirmed the agency has offtake controls over the materials produced by the Brazilian mining company.

Serra Verde's Pela Ema mine is one of the few producers of heavy rare earths outside China, making it strategically valuable as the US seeks to reduce dependence on Chinese supply. The deal comes amid growing global competition for these materials, with the EU, India, and China also showing interest in Brazil's reserves. Brazil holds the world's second-largest deposits but minimal production capacity.

In a separate move, the DFC proposed a debt-for-equity swap with Australian graphite miner Syrah Resources, potentially acquiring a 20% stake. The agency aims to prevent these critical assets from falling into undesirable hands. Meanwhile, Perpetua Resources announced a proposed $2.7 billion loan from the US Export-Import Bank for a gold and antimony project, highlighting the administration's broader strategy to secure domestic supply chains for strategic minerals.