On December 22, Glencore Argentina CEO Martín Pérez de Solay, Country Manager Juan Donicelli, and Institutional Relations Manager Pablo Lilljedahl met with Catamarca Governor Raúl Jalil following the announcement of the reactivation of Bajo de la Alumbrera, scheduled for the second half of 2026.
By Panorama Minero
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both the provincial government and the company to work collaboratively in addressing the challenges associated with a project of this scale. Undoubtedly, this represents a historic opportunity for Catamarca and its people, as it is expected to accelerate the province’s development.
During the meeting, Pérez de Solay highlighted the strategic importance of Alumbrera’s reactivation for Catamarca: “It is a source of pride to restart and bring back into operation such an iconic project as Bajo de la Alumbrera, the first large-scale mining operation in Argentina. The opportunity to reactivate production and once again place Argentine copper on the market is excellent news for everyone. With the restart of Bajo de la Alumbrera, we can anticipate that supply.”
Glencore has applied for inclusion under Argentina’s Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) for its copper projects in the country, Agua Rica and El Pachón. These projects contemplate an estimated capital investment of US$4.0 billion for the development of Agua Rica (MARA) and US$9.5 billion for El Pachón. Both projects are expected to generate more than 10,000 direct jobs during the construction phase and over 2,500 direct jobs during operations.
Within a macroeconomic context that is improving the country’s competitiveness through a new framework of stability, Catamarca has demonstrated a sustained commitment to mining investment. This coordination with provincial authorities is a key factor in advancing projects of this magnitude.
