From October 22 to 30, our CEO, Giancarlo Silva, and Project Manager Gabriel Inácio were in Sydney, Australia, to follow the mining sector up close, on a schedule that included a reception for the Brazilian delegation, a panel, a conference, and institutional visits. Connecting those who explore, obtain licenses, and invest in the country is part of our work.
Opening the IMARC 2026 side events, on October 25, Ígnea and Axel REE, an Australian company with projects in Minas Gerais, jointly hosted a cocktail reception at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, welcoming the Brazilian delegation and receiving representatives of the National Mining Agency (ANM), the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), Invest Minas, the New South Wales Government, the Australia-Latin America Business Council (ALABC), and the Australia Brazil Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), among other organizations.
The event also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Axel REE and the Government of Minas Gerais, through its agency Invest Minas, executed in front of the guests. The document records the intent to cooperate and serves as the basis for the next steps in the partnership. “The exchange of ideas was very rich and showed how dialogue between companies can generate new perspectives and concrete opportunities for the sector,” says Giancarlo Silva.
On October 26, Giancarlo Silva took part in the first panel at Brazil Mining Day, held at the Royal Automobile Club of Australia, on the challenges and opportunities of Brazil’s mining sector, with a focus on critical minerals. The panelists were Ronaldo A. Barquette, of Invest Minas, Rafael Moreno, of Viridis Mining and Minerals, and Anderson B. Arruda, of the MME, with Graeme Slattery, of Squire Patton Boggs, as moderator. For Gabriel Inácio, who followed the event, “it was an essential event to give Brazil’s potential even more visibility, bring Brazilian companies closer to the international market, and open doors to partnerships, investment, and innovation.”
From October 27 to 29, the team attended IMARC (International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo), held at ICC Sydney, alongside the delegation of the Agency for the Development and Innovation of the Brazilian Mining Sector (ADIMB). During the expo, Oceana Metals (ASX: OCN), the Australian company with the Serra Negra rare earths and niobium project in Minas Gerais, also signed an MoU with the Government of Minas Gerais, through its agency Invest Minas. “It was an honor to represent Ígnea at IMARC, one of the most important gatherings in global mining, alongside the Brazilian delegation. Being in Sydney, connected to leaders, investors, and sector experts, reinforced the space and relevance Brazilian mining has on the global stage,” says Giancarlo Silva.
On the night of October 27, the opening of IMARC, the team attended the Latin American Mining Dinner 2026, hosted by the ALABC, at Doltone House Darling Island, in Pyrmont. The dinner brought together ministers, ambassadors, and industry leaders, with delegations from Latin American countries and ADIMB, and focused on the region’s role in the global mining landscape. At the dinner, the team joined Rob Smakman, Managing Director of Alvo Minerals, Oswaldo Dalla Torre, of TozziniFreire Advogados, and Frederico Bedran, of Frederico Bedran Advogados and the Critical Minerals Association (AMC), among other guests.
On October 30, a Friday, the schedule included institutional visits to the ASX (Australian Securities Exchange) and ANSTO (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation). At the ASX, the Brazilian delegation learned how some of the exchange’s internal procedures work and about the presence of the Australian companies operating in Brazil, showing the strong link between Australia’s capital markets and projects in Brazil. At ANSTO, the group toured some facilities, watched a demonstration of how rare earths are extracted from raw material, and saw the equipment used at each stage. “Seeing firsthand how the Australian exchange works, a benchmark in financing mining projects, and ANSTO’s work in science and technology gave us valuable lessons that we will certainly carry into our day-to-day work,” says Giancarlo Silva.
Gabriel Inácio sums up the experience: “I’m heading home convinced that Ígnea is on the right path: connected, learning, and contributing to the future of mining. Thank you to everyone who was part of this journey!”
Want to know how Ígnea can help with your mining tenements? Contact our team.
📷 Photos: courtesy of the organizers and participants
