Argentina and Chile Revive Cross-Border Mining Framework to Attract Investment
Argentina and Chile are working together to revive a cross-border mining framework aimed at attracting billions in investment by enabling shared infrastructure across the Andes. The initiative, based on the 1997 Mining Integration and Complementation Treaty, has gained momentum under new conservative President Jose Antonio Kast of Chile and libertarian President Javier Milei of Argentina. Chilean officials estimate that the framework could unlock over $20.7 billion in investment and boost annual copper production by 540,000 metric tons. The collaboration aims to reduce costs for mining projects near the border by allowing access to Chile's ports and infrastructure, which is crucial given Chile’s status as the world’s largest copper producer. Several key projects are expected to benefit from this renewed cooperation, including McEwen Copper’s Los Azules in Argentina and cross-border initiatives involving Glencore and BHP. The collaboration could position Argentina among the top 10 global copper producers by 2030.
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Topics: infrastructure international relations investment mining