Argentina Becomes Lithium Powerhouse With Startup of New Project

---

Written by Amir Richani for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Argentina inaugurated the startup this week of its latest lithium facility. Ganfeng Lithium Group Company Ltd.'s (Xinyu, China) Mariana project will be able to produce 20,000 metric tons of lithium chloride per year from the Llullaillaco salt flat in the Argentinian northern province of Salta.

Construction of the US$790 million plant began in 2022. Another US$190 million was spent for the construction of an off-grid solar power plant with a capacity of 120 megawatts (MW). The project is expected to be operational for 40 years.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals plant database can click here for the Mariana plant profile.

A day before the inauguration of Mariana, Ganfeng Chief Executive Officer Xiaoshen Wang met with Argentine President Javier Milei, a steadfast supporter of private companies' development, especially in the mining sector.

Since coming into power in December 2023, Milei has promoted the development of extraction industries such as mining and hydrocarbons. Additionally, his administration announced the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI), which grants tax, trade and framework stability for mining projects with investments over US$200 million.

In late last year, Australia's Galan Lithium Limited was the first company to apply for a RIGI lithium mining development for its Hombre Muerto West project. Despite the drop in lithium prices, other companies are likely to follow given the government incentive and the nation's vast lithium resources.

With the startup of mines such as the Centenario Ratones, Salar del Hombre Muerto, Cauchari-Olaroz, and now Mariana, Argentina is becoming a key global lithium player. Argentina almost has dozens of other lithium projects at various stages of development.

Besides the Mariana project, Ganfeng owns and has stakes in the Sal de Puna mine, the Incahuasi project, the Pozuelos Pastos Grandes mine and the Cauchari-Olaroz project, which is already operational and has a production capacity of 40,000 tons per year.

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, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).