22 October 2026, London (The Net-Zero Circle by IN-VR) Brazilian Critical Minerals (BCM) is moving upstream of its own mine to secure the reagent its rare earth project depends on. The ASX-listed company has signed a binding agreement, through its wholly owned subsidiary Mineração BBX do Brasil Ltda, to acquire a 90% stake in Sais Nordeste Indústria e Comércio Ltda, a magnesium sulphate producer in Feira de Santana, in the state of Bahia. Financial terms have not been disclosed. The deal reflects a wider shift in how rare earth developers outside China are approaching supply risk. Securing ore and refining capacity is no longer enough; the chemicals used to process that ore matter too. By bringing magnesium sulphate production under its own control in Brazil, BCM aims to cut its reliance on Chinese reagent supply chains and strengthen its position as an upstream supplier to the rare earth industry now being built in Western markets.

14 October 2026, Tangier (The Net-Zero Circle by IN-VR): An Upper Austrian delegation led by Markus Achleitner and Günther Steinkellner visited Tanger Med and Moroccan industrial partners to explore green hydrogen imports and industrial cooperation. Morocco has seven hydrogen projects advancing, with around 15 GW of renewable capacity planned, as it prepares to begin exports from 2030.

Salta has launched its first on-site customs facility for a lithium operation at Ganfeng’s General Güemes processing plant. The system allows lithium chloride to be consolidated, inspected and cleared for export directly at the facility. Following a 240-tonne pilot shipment, the model could help improve the efficiency, traceability and scalability of Salta’s lithium export chain.

Brazil’s new critical minerals law strengthens state oversight of strategic mineral assets while keeping the sector open to foreign investment. The policy prioritises local processing, value creation and supply-chain security, with CIMCE gaining powers to review key transactions. Its impact on investment will depend on how transparently and predictably these new powers are implemented.

Argentina’s mining exports rose 74.4% to US$4.742 billion in early 2026, led by gold, silver and rapidly expanding lithium production. The next challenge is to turn this growth into an integrated Andean mining platform through better infrastructure, Pacific access and cross-border cooperation.

27 August 2026, London (The Net-Zero Circle by IN-VR) — Morocco's OCP Group and CHS Inc., the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the US, have announced a joint venture to build a $450 million phosphate fertilizer plant in Louisiana, the first facility of its kind constructed in the United States since 1984. With a capacity of over 1 million tons per year, the project aims to cut US reliance on imports, which currently cover roughly 40% of the nation's phosphate fertilizer needs.