After expressing their interest in Argentina’s lithium development during Panorama Minero’s international seminar, France and the European Investment Bank (EIB) confirmed a credit offer of up to US$400 million for electrical infrastructure works in San Juan, marking a key step toward strengthening the country’s industrial and mining base.
By Panorama Minero
Europe is starting to turn its commitment to Argentina’s energy and mining development into tangible results. One week after the 14th edition of “Lithium in South America”, organized by Panorama Minero in Catamarca—where the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union reaffirmed their willingness to invest in lithium-related projects—the Franco-European partnership took a concrete step forward: the AFD and the EIB offered the province of San Juan a credit line of up to US$400 million to fund strategic electrical infrastructure for industry and mining.
The proposal was confirmed on Monday during a meeting held at the French Embassy in Buenos Aires, chaired by Ambassador Romain Nadal and attended by Governor Marcelo Orrego, together with the provincial Ministers of Mining, Juan Pablo Perea, and Production, Gustavo Fernández. Also present were Christel Bories, President of the French-Argentine Chamber of Commerce and Chair of Eramet, along with a delegation of twenty leading French companies convened by MEDEF International.
The financing—jointly structured by the AFD and the EIB—is intended for the construction of transformer stations and high-voltage transmission lines, essential works to meet the energy demand of the mining and industrial sectors and to enable the evacuation of solar energy generated in the province. Orrego, who chairs Argentina’s Copper Roundtable, thanked the European institutions for their support and emphasized that such initiatives “strengthen confidence in the productive capacity of the provinces and the long-term vision of Argentina’s mining industry.”
The meeting also included Raúl Jalil, Governor of Catamarca and President of the Lithium Roundtable, underscoring the strategic coordination between the provinces leading the development of critical minerals in the country.
This development reinforces a trend highlighted during Panorama Minero’s seminar in Catamarca: the European Union’s intention to play an active role in Argentina’s lithium value chain and the energy infrastructure that underpins it. There, AFD Director Lorena Chara was explicit: “The money is available, and the willingness to invest is there. Argentina has enormous potential, and we want to support that long-term development.”
EU Cooperation Attaché Frédéric Maier echoed that message, noting that Europe seeks to diversify its access to critical raw materials and that the memorandum of understanding with Argentina paves the way for concrete investment projects before 2030. “EU-branded strategic projects offer tangible benefits: financing, technology transfer, and quality assurance,” he emphasized.
With this latest announcement, Europe moves from intention to execution, aligning financing, technical cooperation, and business engagement in a country aiming to consolidate its position as a key supplier of critical minerals and clean energy. In practical terms, the AFD-EIB offer to San Juan represents one of the first concrete European commitments to energy infrastructure tied to Argentina’s mining development, setting a precedent for future initiatives in the country’s northern and central provinces.
