Posco's Sal de Oro Lithium Plant Adds to Argentina's Growing Production

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Written by Amir Richani for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Posco inaugurated a new lithium carbonate plant at its Sal de Oro project in Argentina.

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New Plant

Posco inaugurated a new lithium plant at the Sal de Oro mine in the Hombre Muerto salt flat in Salta, Argentina. The plant has an annual capacity of 23,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).

Production will gradually ramp up during 2027 toward nameplate capacity, and all the asset's output will be destined for export.

Sal de Oro has been operational since 2024, and with this new plant, will now have a total capacity of 48,000 tonnes of LCE per year.

The new plant is part of Phase II of the Sal de Oro project. Industrial Info Resources is tracking three additional projects at Sal de Oro, representing US$1.54 billion in investments and aimed at increasing the asset's capacity to 100,000 tonnes of lithium per year.

Industrial Info Resources data show 13 lithium mines and plants operational in Argentina. In addition to Sal de Oro, IIR has mapped another two Posco lithium projects at Hombre Muerto North.

Growing Production

Lithium production has gained traction in Argentina in the last few years. Despite the collapse in lithium prices in 2023, companies have continued to invest in projects in the South American country, building a solid portfolio of active mines and plants.

According to Argentina's National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC), Argentina produced 8,583 tonnes of lithium carbonate in August 2026, 8.8% more than in July. Between January and August 2026, Argentina produced 85,683 tonnes of lithium carbonate, compared to 61,310 tonnes during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, Argentina's Mining Secretariat reported lithium exports equivalent to US$1.46 billion between January and August 2026, a 190.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025. The increase reflects both the uptick in lithium prices seen since September 2025 and a 56.8% rise in exported quantities.

Far from ending, Argentina's lithium projects and production are only expected to continue growing in the next few years. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Argentina has among the world's largest lithium resources at 28 million tonnes.

Argentina's vast resources underpin a growing pipeline of projects. Industrial Info Resources is currently tracking 85 lithium-related projects in Argentina, representing investments of US$26.19 billion.

Key Takeaways

• Posco inaugurated a new lithium carbonate plant at Sal de Oro with an annual capacity of 23,000 tonnes.
• Industrial Info Resources data find another three projects at Sal de Oro, aimed at increasing output annual to 100,000 tonnes of LCE.
• Argentina produced 85,683 tonnes of lithium carbonate between January and August 2026, compared to 61,310 tonnes during the same period last year.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).