Brazil’s Uranium Resources Estimated at 250,000 Tonnes as Santa Quitéria Project Faces Human Rights Scrutiny

The Serviço Geológico do Brasil estimates the country holds 250,000 tonnes of contained uranium in identified resources, defined as reasonably assured and inferred resources recoverable at costs below $260 per kilogram. Current annual consumption stands at 450 tonnes for the Angra 1 and Angra 2 reactors, with projections reaching 700 to 900 tonnes annually once Angra 3 becomes operational. The Lagoa Real deposit in Bahia’s Caetité region contains proven reserves of 73,851 tonnes currently mined by Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil, while the Santa Quitéria-Itataia deposit in Ceará holds measured, indicated, and inferred reserves totaling 120,840 tonnes at average grades of 500 parts per million.

The Província Uranífera de Lagoa Real, covering approximately 1,500 square kilometers between the Chapada Diamantina and Serra do Espinhaço ranges, was discovered in 1977 during aerial geophysical surveys conducted under the Brazil-Germany Geophysical Agreement initiated in 1970. Exploration teams identified 38 uranium anomalies in the province, with 15 advancing to deposit-level classification. The Serviço Geológico do Brasil estimates undiscovered resources in Lagoa Real could total 90,000 tonnes, representing roughly 51 percent of the province’s total potential.

The Consórcio Santa Quitéria, comprising INB and Galvani Fertilizantes, targets annual production of 240,000 tonnes of phosphate alongside uranium extraction from associated phosphate-rich rocks. The arrangement designates Galvani as lead operator for phosphate and fertilizer production while INB manages nuclear materials handling and regulatory compliance. Brazil currently imports approximately 70 percent of consumed fertilizers, making domestic phosphate production strategically significant for agricultural supply chains.

A September 2026 mission by the Conselho Nacional dos Direitos Humanos documented violations in the Santa Quitéria licensing process, finding the environmental impact study disclosed exceedances of eight national pollution standards and ten noise standards. The assessment identified radiation levels exceeding acceptable indices by a factor of five and omitted consultation with indigenous, quilombola, and traditional communities as required under International Labour Organization conventions. Water stress emerged as a critical concern in the caatinga region, where the Morrinhos community depends on 27 to 28 water trucks monthly while projected mining operations would consume equivalent volumes hourly. The consórcio stated it had not received official notification of the human rights report and emphasized radiation exposure would remain within established regulatory limits.