Mining and RIGI: Argentina Approves US$3.31 Billion in Investments for the Agua Rica Project – Trade News | 27/10/26

Argentina’s Ministry of Economy approved the inclusion of Minera Agua Rica LLC in the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI) through Resolution 1854/2026, granting tax and customs benefits for the development of the large-scale mining project located in Andalgalá, Catamarca Province. The measure, formalized by Economy Minister Luis Caputo, covers a US$3.31 billion investment plan aimed at the large-scale extraction of copper, gold, silver and molybdenum, with Minera Agua Rica LLC serving as the project's single-purpose vehicle (SPV). The project is expected to achieve average annual production of 160,000 tonnes of metallic copper concentrate, with construction scheduled to begin in November 2027 and operations expected to start in October 2031. Regarding foreign trade, the company plans to export more than 10.8 million tonnes of copper, gold and silver concentrate over the mine’s 23-year operating life. However, the approval of additional mining investments under RIGI raises questions about the capacity of logistics infrastructure in northwestern Argentina, particularly its road and rail networks, to accommodate the expected increase in cargo volumes transported to ports in the coming years. Link to Article