The governors of San Juan, Salta, and Catamarca decided to form the Copper Task Force, composed of three of the provinces with the most advanced copper projects in the country. This decision was made within the framework of the intense agenda that officials maintained in Europe alongside the National Mining Secretariat.
At the proposal of Governor Marcelo Orrego, this new space will be formalized and consolidated from May 21 to 23 during the new edition of the San Juan International Mining Expo, organized by Panorama Minero since 2006. These three provinces currently have the most advanced copper projects, with San Juan hosting 5 of them.
The advanced copper projects have investment prospects exceeding US$30 billion for the next decade and exports of more than US$10 billion annually. These are world-class ventures that foresee strong job creation of over 100,000 positions, both direct and indirect, in the coming years.
In the case of San Juan, it leads exploration investments in Argentina and hosts 5 of the country's 8 most advanced projects.
"In this way, the province has the opportunity to capture a large part of that local growth, thus becoming a regional leader in copper production necessary to advance electromobility and energy transition," they reported.
The meeting was attended by the governors of San Juan, Marcelo Orrego, the Secretary of Mining of the Nation, Flavia Royón, the governors of Salta, Gustavo Sáenz, and Catamarca, Raúl Jalil, as well as the respective ministers and secretaries of Mining of each province.
Copper Task Force: the precedent
There is a previous Copper Task Force created in Argentina, but it is composed only of industry entrepreneurs. In 2023, within the framework of ARMINERA held in Buenos Aires, one of the country's most important national events that brings together the mining sector organized by the Argentine Chamber of Mining Entrepreneurs, companies from provinces with copper projects announced the formation of the Copper Task Force, a common space for debate and action based on global demand for the red metal arising from electromobility and energy transition.
Now, this space aims to promote copper development in the country at a strategic moment when Argentina does not have a mine in production after the case of “Bajo de la Alumbrera” in Catamarca, which ceased production in 2018.
San Juan, Catamarca, and Salta are the provinces represented in this task force through companies operating in projects such as Josemaría, MARA, Los Azules, Filo del Sol, El Pachón, Altar, and Taca Taca. "Just to give an idea of the potential they represent, and if this project portfolio is realized, Argentina could position itself in the Top Ten of copper-producing countries worldwide."
"Today the world produces 25 million tons of copper, but by 2035, it is estimated that 50 million tons of the red metal will be needed, and the only way to meet that demand is by entering new projects," concluded the provincial government.
