José Gómez, formerly Secretary of Mining, has been appointed as the first minister, as the province seeks to elevate the sector’s institutional standing.
By Panorama Minero
The Province of Jujuy has taken a key institutional step by creating the Ministry of Mining, a decision aimed at elevating a strategic sector for the local economy. The newly created ministry will be headed by José Gómez, who previously served as Secretary of Mining. The move seeks to build on the work already carried out, highlighting that mining currently accounts for 10% of the province’s Gross Geographic Product (GGP), with the goal of continuing to attract investment.
At a ceremony held in the Hall of the Flag at the Government House, Governor Carlos Sadir gathered provincial authorities, officials, family members, and workers from the sector, and administered the oath of office to José Gómez.
In his speech, Sadir emphasized that the creation of the ministry responds to a long-analyzed need. “Jujuy required and needed a Ministry of Mining. Today we are making a decision we had been considering for some time,” he said, underscoring the growing relevance of mining activity in recent years.
Sadir highlighted the mining sector’s increasing impact on investment, job creation, and the establishment of new companies, many of them linked to the Puna region of Jujuy.
The governor also stated that the objective is to redouble efforts to consolidate the sector as one of the engines of development. “Jujuy is among the country’s leading mining provinces, and we want to continue generating jobs, investment, development, and progress,” he said.
He also thanked Gómez for accepting the challenge and underscored his track record in public service. “He has been working in mining for a long time, first alongside us at the Ministry of Production. We have accomplished many things in this area, and that is evident today,” he noted.
In addition, Sadir acknowledged the support of the Minister of Economic and Productive Development, Juan Carlos Abud Robles, and Chief of Cabinet Freddy Morales in the decision to move forward with the institutional elevation of the area. “Mining deserves its own ministry because of the importance it has today for the province,” he stressed.
For his part, Gómez stated that “the creation of the Ministry of Mining is a high-impact decision for the province. It does not mean more bureaucracy, but rather placing mining activity at the same ministerial level as other strategic areas.”
The newly appointed minister explained that the new structure will allow for a deeper consolidation of the work initiated in 2015, with clear priorities focused on transparency, oversight, modernization, and sustainability, areas in which progress had already been underway.
An Industrial Engineer graduated from the National Technological University, Gómez has an extensive career in both the public and private sectors. He served as Technical Coordinator at the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI) for 13 years and participated in the development of the Local Supplier Development Plan promoted by the provincial Ministry of Production. Within the Jujuy administration, he served as Director of Mining under former Secretary Miguel Soler, and later as Secretary of Mining, before assuming ministerial rank.
When asked about the objectives of this new phase, the minister said that the digitalization of mining procedures will be further expanded and efforts will be made to strengthen legal certainty, a key factor in attracting investment. “The debate is not whether to carry out mining or not, but how to do it. In Jujuy, we want to demonstrate that it is possible to develop responsible mining, in permanent dialogue with communities,” he said. In this context, he stated that the ministry will ensure that the resources generated remain within the province and contribute to local development.
Gómez also highlighted that ministerial status will provide a stronger institutional position in dealings with the national government and major companies in the sector. “Today we have greater institutional strength to engage in dialogue and promote investment,” he said. Among expectations for this year, he mentioned the rebound in lithium prices and the announcement by Exar, which has applied to join the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI), a move that would allow the company to double its production capacity.
Finally, the minister underscored the importance of engagement with Indigenous communities and confirmed the creation of a Mining Sustainability Coordination office within the new ministry. “We want to continue doing mining the way we know how to do it in Jujuy: hand in hand with communities and with respect for the territory,” he concluded.
