On Monday night, President Javier Milei signed the "Pacto de Mayo" in Tucumán, an agreement with both supporters and opponents of his government, aiming for a foundational shift.

With the presence of the Governor of Salta, Gustavo Sáenz, Eramine Sudamérica, a subsidiary of the French group Eramet (50.1%) and its Chinese partner Tsingshan (49.9%), inaugurated its lithium carbonate production plant this Wednesday. This marks the first of its kind in the region and the first project to enter the production phase in Salta. Additionally, it is the fourth producer in the country following in the footsteps of Olaroz and Fénix mines by Arcadium Lithium, and the Cauchari-Olaroz deposit operated by Lithium Argentina.

Simón Pérez Alsina, president of the Salta Mining Chamber, highlights the progress of the projects and the development of suppliers.

A review of the history of the copper project located in the province of San Juan, operated by Pampa Metals Inc.

During May, the latest reporting period by the Secretariat of Mining, 16 mining projects in production achieved exports worth US$372 million. This value represents a year-over-year growth of 24.5% and accounts for 97.1% of the total mining exports made during the month.

The Secretariat of Mining and Energy of Salta has issued the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Potasio y Litio Argentina S.A. (PLA S.A.) to begin the construction of a commercial plant for lithium carbonate production in the Diablillos Salar. With this permit, Salta now has six lithium projects under construction, positioning itself as a significant player in the region.

Pampa Metals Corp. provided a summary of its highly successful maiden drill program at the Piuquenes porphyry project, San Juan province. The Piuquenes project was optioned on 30 November 2023 and the Company mobilized a 3 diamond drillhole program for 2,592m on 7 December 2023.

Minsud Resources Corp. announced the receipt of assay results from five additional drillholes, which were completed as part of the ongoing Phase IV infill and scout drilling program at the Chita Valley Project, San Juan Province.

The Argentine mining sector reported exports totaling US$383 million in May 2024, registering a 21.5% year-on-year increase. San Juan regained its position and established itself as the leading exporting province, followed by Santa Cruz.

In May 2024, mineral exports totaled US$383 million, accumulating a total of US$1.577 billion in the first five months of the year. These figures represent 5.5% of Argentina's total exports in May and 5.1% for the year-to-date. Reported by the National Mining Secretariat, this performance reflects a 21.5% year-on-year increase in May, despite a 3.5% decrease in the year-to-date total. Compared to the 2010-2023 average, the 2024 year-to-date total is 5.9% higher.

Mining companies must adapt to uncontrollable events to maintain their operations and profitability. In this regard, current mitigation strategies still present significant challenges that must not be overlooked.

Latin American mining is experiencing an exceptional moment given the excellent outlook for copper and lithium. Alongside the favorable prices for the red metal, there are significant investment plans to exploit the continent's lithium reserves.