Mendoza hosted the Governors’ Panel of the Copper Roundtable as part of the 4th LATAM & Argentina Critical Minerals Summit 2025. Governor Alfredo Cornejo took part in the session alongside fellow provincial leaders.
Mendoza once again positioned itself as a strategic hub for regional mining development by hosting the Finance Day & TSX Roadshow, one of the most important international events focused on critical minerals.
The activity took place at the Mendoza Stock Exchange and was part of the 4th LATAM & Argentina Critical Minerals Summit 2025, which brings together companies, investment funds, international organizations, and provincial authorities. The event was organized by the international firm IN-VR as part of its initiative The Net Zero Circle, which aims to connect, collaborate, and transform the energy sector to advance toward net-zero.
Within this framework, the Copper Governors’ Roundtable was held, featuring Governor Alfredo Cornejo and his counterparts Marcelo Orrego (San Juan), Raúl Jalil (Catamarca), and Carlos Sadir (Jujuy). The panel, moderated by Saúl Feilbogen, focused on the present dynamics of critical minerals, provincial priorities to accelerate mining development, and the investment potential of each jurisdiction.
The meeting underscored Mendoza’s steady progress in mining, strengthening its strategic contribution to the regional production matrix.
Also in attendance were Vice Governor Hebe Casado; Minister of Energy and Environment, Jimena Latorre; ProMendoza President, Patricia Giménez; Undersecretary of Energy and Mining, Manuel Sánchez Bandini; Mining Director, Jerónimo Shantal; Impulsa Mendoza Executive Director, Emilio Guiñazú Fader; Impulsa Mendoza Finance Director, Sebastian Piña; representatives from the Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX, and industry leaders.
When asked what provinces need to advance mining, Governor Cornejo stated that “first and foremost, strengthening basic infrastructure is essential,” explaining that “we need more energy and greater transmission capacity—an area where both the national and provincial governments share responsibility. This requires a much stronger commitment from the public sector, but also from private companies, which must accompany us with concrete investments.”
He also noted that a similar situation applies to mountain roads and strategic routes, whose development depends on collaboration between the national government, provinces, and companies.
“In Mendoza we are moving forward with concrete steps,” Cornejo emphasized. “In the energy sector, we have worked with mining investors on the development of a new transmission line for the Andes mountain range—an initiative already open for financing that will strengthen the Andean corridor based on current needs.” He also highlighted roadwork carried out through Provincial Roads Administration, especially in Malargüe, to ensure access to exploration areas and future production sites.
Cornejo stressed that “financing is the third key pillar” and reaffirmed that “this is why we have set out to turn Mendoza—and particularly our Stock Exchange—into a financial hub for the Andean economy.” He recalled that the Mendoza Stock Exchange historically powered the growth of the wine industry and added: “Today, we want it to play the same role for mining.”
He explained that the provincial government is actively engaging investors and funds to support long-term projects, noting that “mining requires energy, roads, financing, and qualified human capital.” He highlighted ongoing efforts by the General Directorate of Schools to develop local talent, recognizing the importance of critical minerals for the energy transition and the opportunities mining creates for wages, investment, and economic growth.
When asked why investors should come to Argentina and, specifically, to the provinces, Cornejo pointed first to the national business climate. “While there has been some mining activity in Argentina in recent decades, it was not enough—and not solely because of provincial restrictions. The country did not offer a favorable environment for investment,” he explained. “That changed in recent months. Today, under President Javier Milei, Argentina offers a clearly more favorable business climate for mining, and the October 26 elections reaffirmed that political mandate.”
“Investors should come to Argentina because the country has returned to a pro-investment path, and because we are working with the national government on agreements that provide predictability,” he said.
He added that investors should focus on the provinces with critical mineral resources because “the market already recognizes our reserves and potential.” In the case of Mendoza, he noted: “We have taken solid steps to build a stable, competitive business environment. We reformed the Mining Procedure Code to streamline permits and require real exploration investments. Work is already underway in Malargüe, and the Legislature is debating two key bills—royalties and environmental regulations—that will strengthen institutional certainty.”
He anticipated that the San Jorge Cobre Mendocino project is likely to be approved in November or December, adding: “Although legislative approval is not the ideal signal for investors, we decided to use it as a legal guarantee. A project approved by law ensures that rules remain stable regardless of political changes—an essential condition for a long-term industry like mining.”
“Argentina is undergoing a profound cultural shift,” Cornejo concluded. “The anti-market narrative of recent decades is being replaced by a development agenda centered on the private sector. This needs to translate into concrete projects aligned with global demand for critical minerals. Several provinces are fully aligned and participating jointly in international forums to promote the opportunities our country offers.”
He recalled that Mendoza is in a key moment, with active projects in Malargüe and the Western Mining District, where 34 initiatives already have environmental approval and another 27 are advancing through the Legislature. The Legislature is also reviewing the PSJ Cobre Mendocino copper project, a medium-scale development in Uspallata under the framework of Law 7722.
A Key Moment for Positioning Argentina in Global Mining
San Juan Governor Marcelo Orrego thanked Mendoza for the invitation and stressed the importance of shared diagnoses and priorities among the Copper Roundtable provinces in a global context demanding greater competitiveness.
He highlighted that Argentina is at a pivotal moment to strengthen its mining industry, supported by fiscal stability, legal certainty, and improved investment conditions resulting from the RIGI and the removal of currency controls.
Orrego explained that the world is facing three major challenges—connectivity, the energy transition, and renewable energy development—all of which depend directly on critical minerals like lithium and copper.
He underscored San Juan’s long-standing mining policy, consolidated across administrations of different political stripes. With 83% of its territory comprised of mountainous areas, San Juan bases its growth on mining, agribusiness, the knowledge economy, and renewable energy. The province accounts for 54% of all mining exploration in Argentina and more than 70% of copper-related exploration.
He emphasized the need for modern environmental assessments, strengthened technical teams, and a new approach to social engagement. Trust, he said, is built through employment, infrastructure, and transparency regarding the use of mining-derived funds.
Finally, he called for moving forward with the regulation of the Glacier Law to provide greater certainty to the sector and argued that Argentina can compete globally with countries like Chile, Peru, and Australia. “We have everything needed for Argentina and San Juan to be clear, credible destinations for investment,” he stated.
A Shared Vision Between Provinces and the National Government
Jujuy Governor Carlos Sadir highlighted infrastructure and stable investment conditions as top priorities. He underscored the importance of the province’s 300 MW solar park near major projects and described Jujuy as the country’s leading lithium producer and exporter.
He emphasized the need to strengthen social license through community involvement, noting that over 1,500 environmental monitoring activities are conducted annually. Provincial legislation ensures that at least 70% of project-related jobs are filled by local workers.
Sadir highlighted the region’s coordinated work and the need for a shared provincial-national agenda to boost Argentina’s competitiveness in critical minerals.
He stressed that Argentina is in a favorable moment for mining investment, but that reviewing export duties on lithium and silver is necessary to avoid discouraging new capital.
He concluded that Jujuy offers specialized suppliers, strong infrastructure, renewable energy, skilled labor, legal certainty, technical support, and a productive ecosystem that “creates an optimal environment for investment.”
Consolidation of the Copper Roundtable
Catamarca Governor Raúl Jalil emphasized that, just as the Lithium Roundtable became a long-term policy among provinces, the Copper Roundtable is consolidating a shared strategy to diversify regional economies.
He described Catamarca’s long mining tradition and its model for social engagement through the Mining Trust, which allocates royalties, water fees and CSR funds directly to local communities.
Jalil stressed the need for new energy transmission lines, gas infrastructure, and coordinated projects among the national government, provinces, and the private sector to support long-term investment in critical minerals.
He underscored that mining generates jobs, foreign exchange, and territorial development, and that environmental, economic, and community agreements are essential for ensuring a positive social impact.
Before concluding, he aligned himself with Governor Cornejo’s position: “We must create the conditions to attract international capital and ensure that mining contributes not only to macroeconomic growth but also to better living standards across our provinces.”
More From the Event
The day also included presentations from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), Banco Macro, Banco Galicia, EY, and the Argentine Chamber of Mining Entrepreneurs (CAEM), focusing on investment opportunities and Argentina’s evolving regulatory framework.
Ambassadors from Sweden, India, and Canada, along with representatives from the European Union, reinforced the international dimension of the event.
The Finance Day & TSX Roadshow will conclude with the Mines & Wines event—a networking session in local wineries that blends investment promotion with Mendoza’s winemaking identity, positioning the province as a high-level host in the global conversation on critical minerals and the energy transition.
