Brazil is among the countries with the biggest mineral potential in the world, alongside Russia, the United States, Canada, China, and Australia.

The country produces some 70 substances, 21 of which in the metallic mineral groups, 45 non-metallic minerals, and 4 energetic substances.

Brazil is the biggest world producer of niobium, one of the biggest producers of iron ore, and it is among the five top producers of bauxite and aluminum, over and beyond ranking third in kaolin. It also has a leading participation in strategic minerals, such as copper, gold, nickel, diamonds, zinc, manganese, tin, phosphate, potassium, gypsum, bentonite, among others. Furthermore, it has huge reserves of coal for energy, quartz for glass and silicon, sand and gravel for construction, lime, and dolomite for cement and correctives, as well as turf for agriculture, etc.

Brazil can also produce important energetic minerals, such as petroleum, natural gas, and uranium. Although natural gas still has a marginal participation in the country's energetic matrix, its internal consumption has been on the increase. In 2001, the internal offer of this product, including imports, totaled 51.1 million m3/day, 20.4% above the year 2000 mark, according to the National Department of Mineral Production (DNPM).

Data published by the Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB) (Brazilian Nuclear Industries) reveal that Brazil currently has the world's sixth biggest geological reserve of uranium, allowing for the supply of the long-term domestic needs and the availability of the excess for the external market. The main producing States are Bahia, Ceará, Paraná, and Minas Gerais.

In 2002, the Brazilian mineral sector reached a surplus of $2,831 million due to the 17.5% growth in exports, which added up to $14.165 million, and because of the 11.5% reduction in imports, which reached $11.334 million. The participation of minerals in total Brazilian exports was 23.5%. When petroleum and natural gas and its byproducts are excluded, the trade balance's surplus reaches $6.367 million, according to data published by DNPM's Informe Mineral 2003. The evolution of exports in this segment is largely connected to iron ore, petroleum, and kaolin, natural stones for ornamental lining and bauxite that, together, increased their participation to 96.4% of the total. Aside from steel, which leads the ranking among primary goods, at $3.049 million, petroleum also takes the spotlight. In 2002, it generated revenues of $1,691 million and registered a spectacular 134.6% growth.

Bahia is one of the richest States in minerals in the country, ranking third in the Brazilian mineral production. The State's main products are gold, copper concentrate, magnesite, chromite, rock salt, barite, manganese, ornamental rocks, precious stones, talcum, phosphates, and uranium.

Together with Minas Gerais, Goiás and Rio Grande do Sul, the State has had an important participation in gemological production in Brazil, the country that owns a major portion of the world reserves of these minerals, producing gems with internationally acknowledged quality.

Statistical controls register the presence of more than 30 gemological varieties in Bahia's territory, with emphasis going to emeralds, aqua marine, amethysts, diamonds, citrine, crisoberyllium, and rock crystal. The State also produces malaquite, tourmaline, rose quartz, apatite, calcedonium, amazonite, jasper, turquoise, sodalite, among other minerals.