Potencial y oportunidades de la minería metalífera argentina en torno a encadenamientos productivos y estándares socioambientales

Los casos de las regiones de Cuyo, el Noroeste y la Patagonia

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated energy transitions and with it the demand for minerals such as copper and lithium, along with greater demands in socio-environmental standards. Based on literature, in this article I seek to provide an overview of the geological-mining potential and the opportunities and challenges related to productive linkages and socio-environmental standards for metal mining in the Argentine regions of Cuyo, Northwest and Patagonia. Results indicate that the 32 most advanced mining projects in these three regions could collectively receive in a best-case scenario investment for USD 28,000 million and generate annual exports of mining commodities for more than USD 18,000 million. The generation of productive linkages, especially backwards, and the application of voluntary corporate initiatives for metal mining represent an opportunity for the provincial authorities to build capacities, increase transparency, traceability and move towards certified mining production with independent external verification.
Keywords: critical minerals, mining value chain, regional economies, sustainability