With the project now incorporated into Argentina's Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI), in the feasibility stage, and planning to export copper concentrate, PSJ Cobre Mendocino once again addressed one of the key logistical variables shaping its development: the selection of its export route. During the event "Cordillera That Unites: Binational Mining and the Los Libertadores Pass as Pillars of Chile–Argentina Integration," held in the Chilean city of Los Andes, Fabián Gregorio, the company's CEO, reaffirmed that Chilean ports have historically formed part of the project's planning and remain the natural export option due to their proximity, while emphasizing that the company continues to compare this alternative with export routes through Argentine Atlantic ports.
By Panorama Minero
"Chilean ports have always been part of our plans," Gregorio said when referring to the logistics scheme envisioned for PSJ, noting that this alternative is already included in the project's approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). His remarks relate to a project designed to produce copper concentrate for international markets, where the export route represents one of the fundamental components of the overall project design.
Gregorio added that "it is the natural logistical outlet for this production," referring to Chile's proximity and the role of the bioceanic corridor, which has historically supported Mendoza's commercial and operational links with the Pacific.
350 Kilometres Versus 850
One of the key figures highlighted by the executive was the comparison of transport distances currently being evaluated.
"We are comparing 350 kilometres to reach the Pacific versus 850 kilometres to reach a port located in Rosario," he said.
This comparison summarizes the principal difference between the two alternatives and represents one of the key variables that PSJ will continue to assess as it completes its final feasibility studies.
The Variables Supporting an Atlantic Route
Despite the shorter distance to the Pacific, Gregorio made it clear that the Argentine option remains under consideration.
"Argentina also offers certain logistical advantages that deserve to be considered," he stated.
Among those advantages, he mentioned "850 kilometres of flat terrain," the possibility of transporting larger volumes by truck, and the absence of weather-related disruptions associated with crossing the Andes.
The logistics strategy is particularly important for a project that will produce copper concentrate and whose Environmental Impact Assessment considers encapsulated transport to prevent material dispersion during transit. Under this approach, operational continuity and supply chain reliability become critical components of the project's overall planning.
"We do not face the weather conditions that can close the mountain pass for 30 days," Gregorio explained, adding another operational consideration: "there are no heavy swells."
The Project's Operational Scale
The logistics discussion comes as the project advances toward an operation designed to process approximately 10 million tonnes of ore per year, producing an average of 40,000 tonnes of payable copper annually during its first 16 years, with the potential to extend its mine life to 27 years.
Gregorio also indicated that production could quickly increase to between 60,000 and 70,000 tonnes per year, a scale that makes the definition of a stable and competitive export route essential from the earliest stages of commercial production.
A Decision Still Under Evaluation
The CEO stopped short of identifying a final export route, indicating that the company will continue refining its analysis over the coming months.
"We are going to carry out a very thorough analysis in the coming months," he said.
PSJ has already formalized its entry into the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI), declaring an investment of US$891 million over the life of the project. The development plan includes an open-pit mine, a processing plant, waste rock and tailings storage facilities, power infrastructure, and a schedule targeting the start of construction in 2027 and the commencement of production in 2029.
With that roadmap now in place, the selection of the project's export route remains one of the key components that PSJ must finalize before moving into the execution phase.
