The Institute of Mining Research (IIM), part of the Faculty of Engineering at the National University of San Juan (UNSJ), is undergoing a period of intense technical activity and strategic planning, against a backdrop defined by the advancement of large-scale mining projects and the institution’s upcoming 80th anniversary.
By Panorama Minero
According to its director, engineer Marcelo Bellini, although the summer period typically brings a slight slowdown in routine workloads, the institute remains fully operational. During January, it continued delivering previously committed services and advanced preparations for its 2026 work program, a year expected to be decisive as major copper projects such as Los Azules and Vicuña move toward their construction phases.
This outlook points to a substantial increase in demand for specialized technical services, particularly in laboratory testing, physicochemical analysis, and pilot-scale trials, areas in which the IIM concentrates a significant portion of its capabilities.
Bellini also highlighted a gradual shift in the institute’s relationship with mining operators active in San Juan. After years in which most services were provided to companies based in other provinces or abroad, sustained collaboration has been consolidated since mid-2024 and throughout 2025 with companies developing copper and gold projects within the province.
These include producing operations such as Veladero, Gualcamayo, and the recently reactivated Casposo, as well as advanced exploration and development projects including Vicuña, Altar, Los Azules, and El Pachón. Today, the institute provides services to all of San Juan’s major metalliferous projects, positioning UNSJ as a key player in Argentina’s mining science and technology ecosystem.
Requested work spans a broad range of technical studies, including routine laboratory analyses, leaching tests, flotation studies, metallurgical process evaluations, acid mine drainage assessments, and rock mechanics testing on drill core samples, essential for mine and infrastructure design.
From an operational standpoint, the Institute of Mining Research employs approximately 60 people, with 48 to 50 researchers, complemented by technical staff, laboratory specialists, and administrative personnel, forming a highly specialized multidisciplinary team.
The institute’s national recognition remains strong. Mining projects located across different regions of Argentina continue to request its services, including Cerro Moro, Lindero, Cerro Vanguardia, and Minera Don Nicolás. During January, the IIM conducted leaching tests for the latter, advanced testing programs for Cerro Vanguardia, and carried out reagent checks for metallurgical trials linked to Minera Manfield operations.
Institute leadership emphasized that several companies use IIM results as benchmarks against international laboratories in countries with a strong mining tradition such as Chile, Canada, and Peru, raising technical demands and requiring quality standards aligned with leading global mining research centers.
Looking ahead to 2026, when the Institute of Mining Research will celebrate 80 years of activity, the institution is preparing to meet a more demanding technical environment, deepening its scientific and technological contribution as Argentina’s strategic mining projects continue to advance.
