In January 2026, Argentina’s mining sector exported US$812 million, representing a year on year increase of 82.1%. Behind that figure, five provinces concentrated virtually the entire result: Santa Cruz, San Juan, Jujuy, Catamarca and Salta accounted for 98.9% of total mining exports.
By Panorama Minero
Santa Cruz leads with the strongest January on record
Santa Cruz was the leading province, contributing US$400 million, equivalent to 49.2% of the national total, with year on year growth of 169.6% and the highest level ever recorded for the month in the province’s history.
The province’s export basket consisted almost entirely of metallic minerals, which represented 99.9% of total shipments abroad. Within that group, gold accounted for 79.3% and silver for 20.6%.
In terms of destinations, the United States absorbed 39.6% of the province’s exports, followed by Switzerland with 22.5% and Canada with 17.2%.
Mining therefore represented 89.9% of Santa Cruz’s total exports in January, slightly below the 91.1% recorded in the same month of 2025.
San Juan: near exclusive gold exports and steady growth
San Juan contributed US$232 million, marking 29.0% growth compared with January 2025, when the province exported US$180 million in minerals.
San Juan’s export profile is the most concentrated among the provinces analyzed, with gold accounting for 99.4% of mining exports.
The main destinations were India, with 66.6% of the total, and Switzerland, with 29.6%.
Mining’s share of total provincial exports remained virtually unchanged, increasing from 94.3% in January 2025 to 94.9% in January 2026.
Northwest Argentina reaches US$172 million led by lithium
The provinces of Northwest Argentina (Catamarca, Jujuy and Salta) exported a combined US$172 million in January 2026, representing year on year growth of 52.9%.
This increase reflected both higher export volumes and stronger international lithium prices.
Within the region, lithium accounted for 56.0% of mining exports, followed by silver with 19.4% and gold with 19.3%.
China was the main destination, receiving 61.8% of shipments, followed by the United States with 18.1%, Japan with 5.7% and Switzerland with 5.3%.
Mining represented 74.4% of total exports from these three provinces in January, compared with 78.5% in the same month of the previous year, when mining exports from the regional block totaled US$113 million.
Mining as a pillar of provincial economies
Beyond export values, official data highlight the structural weight of the mining sector in provincial economies.
In January 2026, Catamarca showed the highest level of dependence on mining, with 95.6% of its total exports explained by the sector, followed by San Juan with 94.9%, Santa Cruz with 89.9%, Jujuy with 81.6% and Salta with 52.4%.
