The year 2024 ends with challenges for mining employment in Argentina, marked by a sustained decline in job creation throughout the year. According to the year-end monthly report published by the Secretariat of Mining in December, 39,280 formal direct mining jobs were recorded in August 2024. This data, part of a retrospective analysis of the year, shows a 2.1% decrease compared to August 2023, equating to a loss of 824 jobs over the year and a total of 1,787 fewer jobs in the first eight months of 2024.
By Panorama Minero
In August, metal mining projects led employment in the sector with 11,062 jobs, representing 28.2% of the total, although with a year-over-year decline of 2.1%. Mining-related services followed in second place, with 9,073 jobs (23.1% of the total), also affected by a 1.2% drop compared to the previous year.
Other significant segments included quarrying for construction materials, with 5,632 jobs (14.3%), which contracted by 11.6%, and non-metallic mineral production, which saw a modest 1.5% growth, reaching 3,351 jobs (8.5%). Meanwhile, despite its strategic importance, the lithium sector recorded 2,971 jobs (7.6%) and a year-over-year decline of 2.6%.
Despite the overall downward trend, the report highlights positive performance in the exploration and financing of lithium mining, which grew by 39.7% year-over-year, creating 589 new jobs and reaching 2,072 positions (5.3% of the total). This segment stood out as the one with the highest absolute and relative growth in the sector.
Overall, mining accounted for 0.6% of registered private-sector employment in Argentina in August. Although this data was gathered in that month, its publication as part of the 2024 year-end report allows for a comprehensive assessment of the year, revealing structural challenges and opportunities in emerging areas like lithium, which are crucial for the global energy transition.
Looking ahead to 2025, the challenge will be to reverse the downward trend and capitalize on opportunities in emerging sectors showing high growth potential.
