Ganfeng Lithium announced the first export of lithium chloride produced at the Mariana Project in the Salar de Llullaillaco. “Lithium from Salta to the world!” the company stated in announcing the milestone.
By Panorama Minero
The Chinese mining company confirmed the shipment of 240 tonnes of lithium chloride produced at the Mariana Project, marking its first export from the province of Salta. The dispatch represents an operational milestone for the company and a further step in consolidating northern Argentina as a strategic supplier of critical minerals.
Ten containers carrying 24 tonnes each departed by rail from the industrial plant the company operates in General Güemes. The product was cleared by Customs for shipment to China, where it will be used in the manufacture of electric vehicles, technological devices, and energy storage systems.
The company highlighted that shipment logistics were handled by service suppliers based in Salta, as well as the use of rail transport from Güemes, reflecting coordination between industrial infrastructure and export capacity.
The Mariana Project is operated by Litio Minera Argentina S.A., Ganfeng’s local subsidiary, and is located in the Salar de Llullaillaco, approximately 430 kilometers from the city of Salta and at 3,750 meters above sea level. The deposit is located 95 kilometers from Tolar Grande, in the Puna region of Salta.
With an estimated investment of US$600 million and full equity control by Ganfeng, Mariana ranks among Argentina’s first lithium chloride-producing projects.
The company stated that the initial export not only validates the project’s production stage but also reinforces Salta’s role as a lithium exporter with industrial integration.
