Driven by lithium and salt production, according to the latest INDEC data for August 2026. The cumulative increase reached 7.9% year-on-year, following the 3.9% recorded in July.
By Panorama Minero
The latest data from INDEC, corresponding to August 2026, showed an 8.4% increase in the Mining Industrial Production Index compared with the same month last year, and a 7.9% increase in the cumulative January–August period compared with the corresponding period of 2025.
The result represents an acceleration compared with the 3.9% recorded in July. According to the national statistics agency, the seasonally adjusted series increased by 1.9% in August compared with the previous month, while the trend-cycle index rose by 0.2% month-on-month.
Extraction of Non-Metallic Minerals
In August 2026, this category recorded an increase of 17.8% compared with the same month in 2025, while the cumulative January–August 2026 period showed growth of 31.8% compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.
The increase was mainly driven by salt extraction (+76.2% year-on-year) and the extraction of minerals used in the manufacture of chemical products (+11.6%).
Within the latter category, lithium (lithium carbonate and other lithium minerals) continued to grow, recording an increase of 12.2% compared with August 2025 and 44.5% over the first eight months of the year.
Regarding lithium carbonate specifically, 8,582.6 tonnes were processed in August 2026, representing an increase of 8.8% compared with the same month in 2025 and 39.8% in the cumulative January–August period compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.
Hydrocarbons
In August, crude oil extraction increased by 14.4% compared with the same month in 2025, while cumulative production over the first eight months rose by 16.4% compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.
A total of 1,327.6 thousand cubic metres of conventional crude oil and 3,278.6 thousand cubic metres of unconventional crude oil were extracted, representing a decrease of 8.0% and an increase of 26.9%, respectively, compared with the same month of the previous year.
Natural gas extraction declined by 1.7% compared with August 2025, while the cumulative January–August 2026 period recorded an increase of 0.4% compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.
A total of 1,448.0 million cubic metres of conventional natural gas and 3,371.1 million cubic metres of unconventional natural gas were extracted, representing a decrease of 11.2% and an increase of 3.1%, respectively, compared with the same month of the previous year.
