Mining News - June 2023

Legislative News
 

Decree No. 344 of the Ministry of Production and Sustainable Development, published in the Official Gazette of Salta on June 5, 2023

This Decree exempts mining producers from paying the Tax on Economic Activities to the Mere Purchase from January 1, 2023, until December 31, 2023.

Provision No. 152 of the Secretary of State for Mining, published in the Official Gazette of Santa Cruz on June 6, 2023

This Provision modifies Provincial Law No. 1992 and Regulatory Decree No. 749/98, article 3, updating the amounts for registration in the Registry of Mining Producers for first-category mines.

Provision No. 153 of the Secretary of Mining, published in the Official Gazette of Santa Cruz on June 6, 2023

This Provision modifies the provincial Law No. 199 and its regulatory Decree, establishing new values for the Mineral Transport Guides.

Provision No. 335 of the General Directorate of Mining, Published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja on June 9, 2023

This Provision modifies the value of the forms for mining producers and also establishes that the value will be updated the first business day every six months in accordance with inflation.

Resolution No. 80 of the Secretariat of Mining and Energy, published in the Official Gazette of Salta on June 14, 2023

This Resolution rectifies the e-mail address fiscalypoliciaminerasalta@gmail.com established in article 2 of Resolution No. 002/2023  to carry out administrative procedures before the mining authority.

Resolution No 2023-858 of the Secretariat of Environment and Climate Change, published in the Official Gazette of Río Negro on June 15, 2023.

This Resolution imposes on the proponents (of any work or activity that may directly or indirectly modify the environment, or of any procedure that requires the intervention of the Secretariat) the obligation to state, at the time of submitting the Environmental Impact Declaration, an address in the Province of Río Negro within the area where the main office or any of the delegations of the Secretariat of Environment and Climate Change are. Likewise, at the time of filing, they must inform their electronic mail address.

Resolution No. 000111 of the Secretariat of Water Resources, published in the Official Gazette of Salta on June 27, 2023

This Resolution establishes the due dates for paying the installments of the Industrial and Mining Use fees and proposes the interest in arrears established by local tax authority through Resolution No. 22/2013 for those paying after the due date.

The Resolution also submits the proceedings to the Provincial Executive Branch so that, through the Ministry of Production and Sustainable Development, it issues a decree approving new tariffs and establishing a 32% increase for the Industrial and Mining Use fees.

Law No. 10633 published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja on June 30, 2023

This Law ratifies the provincial Decree No. 852, which extends the validity term in article 3 of the Law No. 10608 only once and for the same amount of time. The term includes the suspension for 120 days of the permits for search, prospecting, exploration, and mining concessions related to lithium in the province.

Resolution 86/2023 of the Secretariat of Mining, published in the Official Gazette on June 30, 2023

This Resolution creates the Gender Policy Advisory Unit for advising the Secretariat of Mining in all matters related to gender inclusion and equity -women and LGBTIQ+ community- in mining.

Mining in the Media

 

“Growing Up: INDEC to Inform the Mining Industrial Production Index”, news published in Comercio y Justicia on June 6, 2023

The National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) will inform the Mining Industrial Production Index (IPI Minero) as of July 4, 2023. This new monthly indicator seeks to measure the evolution of the production in the sector(the exploitation of mines and quarries).

“Argentina's Gold Received Massive Investment”, news published in Bank Magazine on June 08, 2023

The government announced this important investment in the gold mining industry,  the mineral with the most export income for Argentina.

Global Newmont, which manages the Cerro Negro project, would invest in Santa Cruz USD 450 million to extend its productive life until 2034. According to data from the Secretariat of Mining, this company processed 278,000 ounces of gold in 2022, generating exports for over USD 500 million, placing it as “one of the main gold producers in Argentina, and the. largest in the Province of Santa Cruz.”

“Lithium Added a Third Development: Olaroz Started Carbonate Production Based on the Mineral”, news published in El Destape on June 11, 2023

Minera Exar obtained its first batch of lithium carbonate. The project will extend production to 40,000 tons per year during 2024.

Exar's capacity is estimated to exceed the Argentina's current total production, which in 2022 was around 37,000 tons. Between the exploration stage, which began over 10 years ago, and the construction of the production plant, the company invested a total of USD 980 million.

“Record Lithium: First Quarter marks a Milestone in Exports”, news published in Ámbito on June 14, 2023

Lithium continues to show its importance both in the international and local markets. According to a report issued by the Undersecretariat of Mining Development during April, exports of the so-called “white gold” experienced a year-on-year growth of 26%, making it the second most sold mineral abroad. In the first four months of 2023, lithium sales reached record numbers.

Sales of the mineral abroad reached USD 294 million, a year-on-year increase of 98%, representing 23% of all mining exports.

“Second Largest Mining Company in the World Returns to Argentina and Invests USD 79 million”, news published in the official website of the Argentine Government on June 28, 2023

The Australian company BHP is investing USD 79 million to explore and develop Filo del Sol, a copper and silver project in the Province of San Juan.

BHP had left Argentina in 2003, when it sold its shares in the Bajo la Alumbrera copper and gold project, in the rovince of Catamarca.

The new project, Filo del Sol, is in the Province of San Juan, Argentina, 140 kilometers southeast of the city of Copiapó, Chile, and straddles the border between the two countries.

“Posco Doubles Investment and Reaches USD 1.6 Billion to pProduce Lithium in Catamarca and Salta”, news published in the Argentine Government’s official website on June 28, 2023

The second stage of the construction of the “Sal de Oro” deposit began. This deposit is being developed in the bi-provincial cooperation area between Salta and Catamarca. Posco has foreseen a total of USD 4 billion for this project in Argentina.

“San Juan: Multimillion Investment for Lithium Processing and a Battery Factory Announced”, news published in Diario Once on June 30, 2023

China-based Hua Lian Mining SA plans to invest around USD 1.1 billion to build two processing plants and a lithium battery factory in San Juan, Argentina.