The governor detailed Mendoza’s reconversion of conventional hydrocarbon areas previously operated by YPF, now transferred to private operators, which reversed historic production declines in traditional fields. The province currently operates one of Argentina’s principal refineries, processing Vaca Muerta crude and positioning Mendoza within the unconventional energy value chain.
Cornejo placed particular emphasis on copper as a pillar for future development, highlighting the PSJ Cobre Mendocino project in Uspallata with projected annual production of 75,000 tonnes. The deposit’s logistical advantages include location just 15 kilometers from a developed provincial highway and 30 kilometers from National Route 7, the bioceanic corridor providing direct access to Chilean ports. The province currently holds 65 approved mining exploration projects, several operated by international companies that completed exploratory work in recent seasons.
The mission also addressed potassium resources, with one developed mine preparing to initiate definitive exploitation following contract renegotiation after Vale’s project abandonment. Cornejo referenced the Sierra Pintada uranium deposit in San Rafael, where the national government conducts environmental remediation of legacy liabilities under provincial oversight while evaluating future development scenarios.
A key outcome involved meetings with the French Development Agency (AFD), where officials analyzed direct provincial financing mechanisms that bypass national government guarantees, subject to sub-national economic and financial evaluation. The province presented a portfolio of infrastructure, transport, mining and energy projects for potential future credit lines.
Minister of Energy and Environment Jimena Latorre highlighted growing international interest in critical minerals required for electrical storage and transmission systems. She identified infrastructure as the enabling factor for scaling mining projects and energy products, noting that Mendoza has initiated construction of transport lines to facilitate investment attraction.
The delegation advanced negotiations with M2I Lifesciences and local firm Aerotec for a plant producing biological and semiochemical solutions to combat Lobesia botrana vineyard infestation, contemplating over US$10 million investment and more than 50 direct jobs with potential South American market supply. Cornejo stressed that sustained investment requires stable rules, stating that both national macroeconomic stability and agile provincial permitting with rigorous environmental controls are essential for positioning Argentina as a dependable long-term supplier.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
