Statement by Fundación Plan Pilares, in coordination with academic institutions, business organizations, industrial and service chambers: “The energy transition presents a historic opportunity for development.”
The Provincial Senate is currently reviewing the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the PSJ Cobre Mendocino Project—an institutional stage in which it must ratify the technical assessment prepared, with methodological rigor and in full accordance with established procedures, by nearly one hundred qualified professionals in the relevant disciplines. This ratification constitutes the authorization required to advance to detailed engineering and technical-economic feasibility studies, enabling the construction of a copper production facility under the applicable laws and regulations, including water legislation and Law 7722.
This process is significant because mining requires a long-term State policy, supported by broad political agreements that guarantee legal certainty and political predictability, conditions that are essential for medium- and long-term investment planning. It also demands a governance framework that ensures full compliance with the law—both in terms of oversight and in the institutional support that projects require. Without these conditions, securing the foreign investment needed for PSJ and for exploration initiatives more broadly becomes increasingly difficult. For the first time in many years, Mendoza is moving decisively in this direction. For this reason, we stand ready to assist the Senate, should it be necessary, in addressing any questions that may arise during the deliberation process.
The energy transition opens a historic window for development and for the productive transformation of Mendoza through mining—an industry that is dynamic, highly regulated, and subject to demanding standards, but which, if carried out sustainably, can become a source of long-term prosperity for the province and its people. Mendoza possesses the human capital, technological capabilities, substantial knowledge base, and strong industrial tradition needed to seize this opportunity and develop a world-class mining industry—one capable of converting geological resources into human development by generating new opportunities for local companies and workers, adding value at origin, and expanding exports.
At the Plan Pilares Foundation, we have been working with a strategic perspective—together with local universities, business chambers, companies, and citizens—to develop a shared vision and a common roadmap grounded in dialogue and consensus-building, aimed at advancing Mendoza’s productive transformation through sustainable and modern mining. Today, Mendoza has a unique opportunity to diversify its economic structure and expand opportunities for all its residents. We call for a consensual approach within the Legislature, so that we may collectively build a roadmap toward a province with more jobs, greater development, and stronger environmental stewardship. We are convinced that this is the next step Mendoza must take.
Signatories to this statement:
Universidad Juan Agustín Maza / Universidad Tecnológica Nacional – Regional Mendoza / Universidad del Aconcagua / Universidad de Mendoza / Universidad Nacional de Cuyo / Consejo Empresario Mendocino (CEM) / Unión Industrial de Mendoza (UIM) / Asociación Ejecutivos de Mendoza (AEM) / Asociación de Industriales Metalúrgicos de Mendoza (ASINMET) / Asociación Propietarios de Camiones Mendoza (APROCAM) / Cámara Mendocina de Empresas de Servicios Petroleros (CaMESPe) / Cámara Mendocina de Empresas Mineras (CaMEM) / Asociación de Empresarios Rodríguez Peña (ADERPE) / Romano Group / GRB Legal / SQA / Fundación Emergencias / Clúster Logístico Mendoza / Grupo LTN / Grupo Halpern / Impulsa Mendoza Sostenible S.A. / Argenteo Mining S.A. / Sitrack / La Mercantil Andina / Bodega Lagarde / Tassaroli S.A.
