BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Although Argentina's copper production is currently almost nonexistent, six large-scale mining projects in different stages of development are aiming to reverse that trend, driven by incentives under the Mining Investment Regime, or RIGI.
This regulatory framework, approved in September 2024, revived interest in developing new copper mining projects and unlocked others that had been stalled for years.
Among them is the return of Swiss multinational Glencore and the planned restart of its Alumbrera project, a copper and gold mine in Catamarca that closed in 2018 and is scheduled to resume operations in 2026.
In addition to regulatory incentives, international copper prices remain at historically high levels, driven by global demand tied to the energy transition and infrastructure investment. That environment is increasing multinational interest in speeding up the launch of large-scale projects in Argentina.
Víctor Delbuono, a mining economist and member of the Fundar think tank, told UPI that investors now have greater confidence in Argentina because the rules are clearer.
