A MINING company facing charges over allegations that it was part of an illegal mining scheme in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory in the Brazilian Amazon has already exported tin to U.S. companies that hold contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Pentagon classifies the metal as essential for the production of electronic components used in its military equipment.
White Solder, which presents itself as one of the world’s largest tin producers, supplied at least 525 metric tons to U.S.-based Indium Corporation between May 2023 and August 2025, according to customs records analyzed by Repórter Brasil.
Indium supplies solder to Raytheon, a manufacturer of military systems such as radars and precision-guided missiles, which holds several contracts with the U.S. government. With more than 100 years of operations, Raytheon reported US$88 billion in revenue in 2025.
One of these contracts, signed in 2020 for US$2.2 billion, involves the production of seven missile-defense radars to be delivered to Saudi Arabia by 2027. Under another contract, signed in 2024 and valid until 2031, Raytheon secured an additional US$2.9 billion to provide the United States with units of the company’s most advanced air and missile defense radar system.
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White Solder also supplied tin to U.S.-based Nathan Trotter, which describes itself as North America’s largest manufacturer of tin and solder alloys. Between August 2021 and August 2025, the company received at least 2,400 metric tons from the Brazilian tin producer, according to customs records analysed by the investigation.
In September 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded US$19 million to Nathan Trotter for the company to establish a tin smelting, refining, and recycling facility in Pennsylvania.
The purpose of the investment is to strengthen domestic production of critical minerals and counter “Chinese efforts