Argentina Hosts U.S. Delegation to Discuss Critical Minerals

by | 12. Feb 2024 - 08:51 | Politics

The Latin American country is home to the world’s fourth-largest lithium reserves.

Representatives of the Argentinian Chamber of Mining Companies CAEM (for Cámara Argentina de Empresarios Mineros) and mining companies operating in the country hosted a U.S. delegation in Buenos Aires last week. Topics of discussion were, among other things, current developments in the mining industry, critical minerals, and exploring mutually beneficial collaboration, according to a statement by the CAEM. The U.S. delegation, led by Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols, also sought to find new investment opportunities in the Latin American country, the U.S. Department of State said in a statement ahead of the meeting.

Argentina could become a significant player in the critical minerals industry, especially in terms of the battery metal lithium, considering it boasts the fourth-largest lithium reserves in the world, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey (PDF). However, the country’s mining production is overshadowed by competitors like Australia, which had an output almost tenfold the size of Argentina’s in 2023. In an effort to change this, the country has recently begun to push for more international partnerships. Just a week prior, an Argentinian delegation met with German politicians and industry officials in Berlin to discuss collaboration on critical minerals.

Photo: iStock/Oleksii Liskonih