Argentina's mineral exports totaled US$337 million in February 2025, bringing the accumulated figure for the first two months of the year to US$782 million. With these values, mining product shipments accounted for 6.5% of the country's total exports in February and 7.2% in the year-to-date total.
By Panorama Minero
This performance marks a 9.8% year-on-year growth for February and 44.7% for the accumulated figure in 2025, standing 36.8% above the average recorded in the 2010-2024 period. With these records, mining exports have reached their highest historical level for the first two months of the year, surpassing the previous record of US$692 million in 2015.
Performance by Minerals
Metallic minerals dominated mining exports in February, totaling US$260 million, representing a 7.9% year-on-year increase. This segment accounted for 77.0% of total exports, with gold as the main product (US$208 million, 62% of the total), followed by silver (US$45 million, 13% of the total) and other metallic minerals such as lead (US$7 million, 2.1% of the total).
The increase in gold exports was driven by rising international prices, resulting in a 4.7% year-on-year increase in value. In the case of silver, the improvement was 19.6% year-on-year, due to both higher prices and increased export volumes.
In the January-February 2025 period, metallic minerals accumulated US$638 million in exports, with a 52.4% year-on-year growth. Within this segment, gold contributed US$548 million (70% of the total) and silver US$80 million (10% of the total).
Meanwhile, lithium also showed strong momentum. In February, lithium exports reached US$66 million, a 22.8% increase compared to the same month in 2024, setting a new record for the period. In the first two months of the year, lithium exports totaled US$121 million, with a 22.5% year-on-year growth, accounting for 15.4% of total mining exports. This growth was driven by a 46.5% increase in exported volumes.
Key Destinations for Mining Exports
The main export markets for Argentine mining products in February were Switzerland, China, the United States, and Canada, which collectively accounted for 83% of total exports (US$278 million). In the year-to-date total, this share rose to 85% (US$662 million).
Metallic minerals represented 79% of mining sales to these markets in February and 84% in the first two months of 2025. These four countries also concentrated 87% of total metallic mineral exports, while the remaining 13% were mainly destined for India, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, and Finland.
Regarding lithium, China and the United States led imports of this mineral, with a joint share of 87% in February and 85% in the year-to-date total. Notably, China's participation in lithium exports increased by 27% compared to the same period in 2024, while the United States' share declined by 30%.
The significant growth of Argentina's mining exports in the early months of 2025 reflects the strength of the sector and its ability to capitalize on global demand for precious metals and lithium. With rising international prices and increasing export volumes, mining is expected to continue consolidating itself as a key pillar of the country's foreign trade.
