He noted that the National Government is making “every effort to reduce or eliminate taxes.” He also stressed that engagement with the provinces “remains permanently open.”
By Panorama Minero
Luis Lucero took part in the opening ceremony of the 14th edition of Lithium in South America, the international platform organized by Panorama Minero since 2011, which this year brought together more than 1,000 participants in Catamarca.
In an exclusive interview with this outlet, he acknowledged that there are still pending issues regarding taxation, affirmed that the dialogue with provinces and the mining industry is permanent, and expressed optimism about the future of the market.
During the opening panel, Lucero shared the stage with the Governor of Catamarca, Raúl Jalil; the Governor of Jujuy, Carlos Sadir; CAEM President, Roberto Cacciola; AOMA Secretary General, Héctor Laplace; the French Ambassador to Argentina, Romain Nadal; and Karina Viñas, Head of the Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Committee of WiM Argentina. Several industry topics were addressed, including the current situation of export duties.
Lucero told Panorama Minero:
“The Government is working to reduce and eliminate taxes in general, and export duties in particular. We are fully aware that, in the case of lithium, this remains a pending matter. As you know, we have inherited a very complex situation. Efforts are being made by both the Government and society. Now, every export duty or tax that is reduced impacts State revenues and its ability to provide services, which is why this is an issue that requires balance and responsibility.”
Regarding joint work with provinces, he emphasized:
“Dialogue is always open. We maintain a permanent agenda with provincial governments and with CFI. Together, we have identified the necessary infrastructure and, depending on the type of project, different action plans are being developed.”
The Secretary underlined that “realities are diverse”:
“It is not the same to talk about railways, roads, high-voltage lines, or ports. There is no single solution, but the channels of analysis and dialogue with investors and mining companies are also fully open.”
With respect to current priorities, he explained that the industry is signaling the need for improvements in land transport and power infrastructure:
“It will be highly favorable for the industry once Belgrano Cargas becomes available, as it will greatly support both the inflow of inputs and the outflow of production.”
Finally, he referred to the global context:
“The major challenge is for lithium prices to recover. With current levels, projects are very tight, almost at the limit, and achieving positive margins is difficult. We hope that prices will support investment and expansion efforts. I am optimistic: I believe we are gradually seeing a recovery, and the projections I receive suggest that prices could reach 14,000 to 15,000 dollars per ton in the near future.”
