Panorama Minero: Latest News

Manuel Benítez, president of the Argentine Chamber of Mining Suppliers (CAPMIN), discusses the opportunities that mining growth is creating for the country’s industrial base. The ability to serve larger projects, access to financing, costs and greater coordination among companies from different provinces are emerging as key challenges.

Litio Minera Argentina has opened a customs facility at its Güemes plant. It is the first operation of its kind for a lithium company in Salta.

Initial tests on the Yaxtché deposit in Salta produced high-grade concentrates and showed a rapid response to flotation. The company expects to complete the optimization stage within the next 45 to 60 days.

The geologist and former Secretary of Mining of Jujuy discusses the current state of Argentina’s mining sector and the need for a more realistic assessment of its potential impact. Communities, employment, suppliers, workforce development and investment are among the main challenges in turning project development into long-term economic growth.

The province currently has 60 metals and energy-mineral projects at different stages of development. Joaquín Aberastain Oro, Río Negro’s Secretary of Mining, discusses the transformation of the province’s mining sector, the progress at Calcatreu, the potential of the Línea Sur region and the development of iron, uranium and vanadium projects.

The agreement signed by Javier Milei, Diego Santilli and Raúl Jalil enables the creation of a mixed industrial and commercial Free Trade Zone along the Bi-Oceanic Corridor, connected with Chile through the San Francisco Pass. The initiative seeks to attract investment, reduce costs and strengthen value chains linked, among other activities, to mining.

An INDEC report recorded accumulated exports of US$392 million, representing year-on-year growth of 119.6% for the province. Chemicals and precious metals lead the export basket. Catamarca outpaces the NOA regional average of 68.2% and emerges as the third-largest exporting province in the region.

Diablillos is advancing through its feasibility stage and plans to begin construction in May 2027, with production scheduled for late 2029. The project is expected to generate 1,400 construction jobs and 600 permanent positions.

The commission, launched on September 2, met again on September 14 and established its work agenda for the coming months.

During 2025, it worked with 580 suppliers in Argentina, 60% of them from San Juan, and allocated US$1.94 million to social investment.

The camyeninvestments.com.ar portal was launched. Through this software, the company said it seeks to provide public access to geological information, infrastructure data and ESG standards.

Following the intense snowstorm that left the access road to the Los Azules project out of service, reconstruction and the full reopening of the route were launched, with work being carried out by contractors from San Juan and Calingasta together with avalanche specialists.

The province is developing silica sand areas for hydraulic fracturing, although it acknowledges that it will not be able to meet projected demand on its own. Cormine is also promoting the reactivation of Andacollo, potash and other mineral resources.

Petra Gold and its partners agreed with Australian company 62 Capital to continue the work previously carried out by Aurora Mining. The area covers approximately 3,600 hectares.

The program includes training in construction, electricity, plumbing, welding, assembly and heavy equipment operation. The first courses will be held in departments near the project.

Contreras, BBC and Construmin will build sections A1 and A2, between Angualasto and Junta La Palca. The works form part of the approximately 220 kilometres planned for the future access route to the project.

For the first time, the company will drill-test the Cuatro target, with an initial program of 23 RC holes totaling approximately 500 metres. The work forms part of a new exploration phase that also covers the Ivana Corridor and greenfield areas west of the project.

The **PSJ Cobre Mendocino Project** updated its technical design during the pre-construction stage and submitted a series of optimizations related to ore processing, water recovery and tailings disposal to the relevant authority. According to the company, the modifications have already been evaluated and approved.

The two organizations signed a cooperation agreement covering training, financial education, employability and tools aimed at strengthening suppliers and SMEs linked to the mining industry.

Challenger Gold has defined an accelerated roadmap for the San Juan project. Construction will gain momentum in 2027, while engineering, exploration and financing continue to advance.

The San Juan-based company announced a change in the composition of its shareholding structure. According to the company, operations, its professional team and ongoing projects will continue unchanged.

Mining and artificial intelligence compete for capital and resources, but they can also reinforce each other. An analysis by Eng. Eduardo Barrera, Advisor to the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials (CRM) Facility.

Monitoring material levels in chutes and intermediate bulk containers is vital for preventing unplanned downtime. Jorge Espinoza, mining industry manager at Emerson, and Jennifer Muñoz, product engineer at Emerson, explain how advanced radar transmitters provide the most suitable solutions for these challenging applications.

The creation of CProMEC, promoted within Asinmet, adds an operational structure to the province’s network of business chambers at a key moment for mining and oil & gas.