Brazil’s Colossus rare-earth project is being developed as a potential connection between South American mineral production and Europe’s permanent-magnet supply chain. Located in Minas Gerais and controlled by Viridis Mining and Minerals, the project combines ionic-clay mineralisation with processing in Brazil and a proposed downstream arrangement involving Belgian chemicals company Solvay.
Viridis has commissioned a pilot research and processing facility at Colossus to evaluate recovery performance and generate representative samples of mixed rare-earth carbonate. The planned commercial operation carries an estimated capital requirement of approximately US$360–400 million and is targeting production of about 15,000 tonnes of mixed rare-earth carbonate annually from 2028.
Heavy rare earths underpin Colossus development
The Colossus mineralisation contains neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium. Dysprosium and terbium are heavy rare earths used in permanent magnets designed for high-temperature operating conditions, including applications in electric vehicles, wind turbines, industrial motors, robotics and defence. The project’s proposed processing chain would retain production of the mixed carbonate in Brazil before transferring intermediate material to Europe for further separation. This structure would link Brazilian extraction and hydrometallurgical processing with established European downstream infrastructure.
Viridis and Solvay signed a letter of intent in June 2026 concerning a potential supply and technology partnership. Under the proposed arrangement, intermediate material from Colossus could be shipped to Solvay’s La Rochelle separation facility in France, while Solvay would provide expertise in rare-earth processing and separation.
Solvay prepares French separation capacity
Solvay is preparing its La Rochelle facility for industrial-scale separation of dysprosium and terbium, with operations scheduled to begin in September 2026. The company is targeting the supply of as much as 30% of Europe’s magnet-grade rare-earth demand by 2030.
A Colossus supply route could provide feedstock for this European separation capacity and establish a pathway in which Brazilian-produced mixed rare-earth carbonate is further processed in France rather than relying on material separated in China. The proposed Brazil-France chain remains subject to commercial agreements. The June letter of intent is not a binding offtake contract and therefore does not yet provide the revenue certainty normally required to support construction debt for the commercial plant.
Pilot results and financing remain key requirements
Viridis must establish the commercial performance of its processing flowsheet using the pilot operation, define product specifications and secure binding offtake agreements before the proposed development can advance toward full construction financing. Potential lenders will also assess water management, reagent consumption and residue stability, as well as how processing margins would be allocated between operations in Brazil and France. These factors will form part of the financing assessment for the planned US$360–400 million commercial facility.
The proposed Colossus structure would connect Brazilian rare-earth extraction and local processing with Solvay’s downstream separation infrastructure at La Rochelle, with the project targeting 15,000 tonnes of mixed rare-earth carbonate per year from 2028.
