Trump bets on Ukraine’s “rare lands” to challenge China

“We are telling Ukraine that they have very valuable rare land,” Trump said. “We are looking to make a deal with Ukraine, where they will guarantee (as counterpart) what we are giving them with their rare lands and other things.”

“I told them that I want the equivalent, like $ 500 billion in rare lands, and they essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid. Otherwise we are stupid. I told them, ‘we have to get something.’ We can’t keep paying this money, ”he said.

Days after Trump’s first speech, in an interview with Reuters agency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was favorable to an agreement.

“If we are talking about an agreement, then let’s make a deal, we are in his favor,” said Zelensky.

Rare Lands is a term that designates a set of 17 chemical elements: Lantanium, Cerio, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promécio, Samarium, Europio, Gadolinium, Terbian, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Scanda, Túlio, Iérbio, Lutécio and Itrio.

“The rare lands are fundamental for the manufacture of magnets and magnets used in the various electric motors. They are very important for all types of engine, wind turbines, car engines, and also for the defense industry, ”Gazeta do Povo explained to geologist and lawyer Frederico Bedran, from Caputo office, Bastos and Serra Advogados and former Director of Geology and Mineral Production of the Secretariat of Geology, Mining and Mineral Transformation of the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

China has the largest known reservations of rare land in the world and also explores them in other countries. In 2024, according to US Geological Data, Americans had to resort to China, Malaysia, Japan and Estonia to meet 80% of their needs of these chemical elements.

“China produces more than 60% and processes more than 90% of these goods (worldwide). And it is increasingly limiting the export of these products and technology, it makes it difficult to access the European Union and the United States to these goods. Hence the geopolitical importance of these elements, ”said Bedran.

However, the lawyer and geologist said that despite Trump’s proposal, Ukraine alone may not be the solution for the United States to shorten the distance to China in this race.

“This data (from Ukraine rare land reserves) is not yet very clear. Ukraine has geological potential, not only for rare lands, but for many other elements. The discussion is whether in Ukraine there are rare lands that we call primaries or ionic clay deposits, which are the ones we recently discovered in Brazil, which have a much larger competitive potential because they need a lower investment, both in operation and Installation, Capex (capital expenses) and Opex (Operation Expenses), ”said Bedran.

The so -called strategic minerals are a separate item in the trade war between the world’s great powers. In December, China banned exports to the United States of Galio, Germanium and antimony, following measures from the then Biden Government against Chinese chips.

Last week, Beijing vetoed tungsten and Indian sales, among other metals, after Trump imposes additional 10% tariffs on imported products from China.

Bedran pointed out that Brazil can benefit from this dispute, as the United States already has agreements with companies that produce rare lands here, but the country still needs to explore this potential better.

“I think Brazil is facing a very positive scenario in the global industry. We have geological potential for project development with these elements, but there is a lack of state financial support so that these projects can materialize here in Brazil. It is very welcome the work that BNDES (National Bank for Economic and Social Development) has already been doing (in the sector), but still missing much more, ”he warned.