United States Offers Financing to Boost Critical Minerals in Argentina

The United States seeks to expand its participation in critical minerals development in Argentina and promote supply chains considered secure and diversified. The strategy was presented during a forum organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Argentine-American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham), with participation from government officials and private sector representatives.

Neil Herrington, senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber, stated that bilateral cooperation on critical minerals can serve as a starting point for partnerships linked to technology, manufacturing, and data centers. He also argued that supply chains should not remain under the control of a single country and praised the changes promoted by the Argentine Government through the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI).

Heidi Gómez Rápalo, head of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, noted that the concentration of refining capacity creates risks for global supply. In particular, she pointed out that copper and lithium are processed primarily in China, a situation that, she warned, can generate lack of transparency, bottlenecks, and difficulties in understanding environmental conditions applied at each stage.

Among the tools mentioned to attract investments are the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Eximbank), the Vault project, with financing capacity of up to $10 billion to create a critical minerals reserve, and the FORGE alliance, aimed at channeling private financing and diversifying supply chains.

The official also called for progress on the investment and trade agreement with the United States, known as ARTI; Argentina's accession to the PCT patent protection treaty, and Argentina's incorporation into Pax Silica, a coalition focused on energy, technology, and critical minerals. She also emphasized the importance of having technological regulations that build greater investor confidence.

The discussion included the provision of Chinese technology and the need to prioritize platforms from allied countries. Herrington mentioned the case of the contract announced between the Neuquén cooperative CALF and Huawei, while U.S. Ambassador Peter Lamelas had questioned that decision and warned about its potential impact on investments associated with Vaca Muerta.

Information from El Cronista — Minería.