Brief on mining regulations – National, Río Negro and Mendoza
Mining Department Report | Brief on mining regulations – National, Río Negro and Mendoza
National
Resolution No. 1.725/2025 – Ministry of Economy – Modification of the composition of the RIGI Project Evaluation Committee (O.G. 4/11/2025)
The Ministry of Economy modified the composition of the Project Evaluation Committee of the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI), created by Title VII of Law No. 27,742. The Evaluation Committee is responsible for the final evaluation of the applications for membership and the investment plans submitted by the Single Project Vehicles (UPVs).
The resolution replaces the second paragraph of Article 1 of Resolution No. 814/2024 of the Ministry of Economy creating the Evaluation Committee, incorporating the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship into its integration and specifying its composition.
Since the adoption of this law, the Committee was composed of: (i) the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship; ii) the head of the Executive Deputy Chief of Staff of the Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers; (iii) the Executive Director of the National Ports and Navigation Agency; and (iv) the heads of the Secretariats for the Coordination of Energy and Mining, Production and Infrastructure, and the Secretariats of Finance, Treasury and Legal and Administrative, all of the Ministry of Economy.
Rio Negro
Resolution No. 877/2025 – Provincial Water Department of Río Negro – Modification of the Industrial Use Coefficient for the Metalliferous Mining Industry (O.G. 3/11/2025)
The Provincial Water Department of the Province of Río Negro (DPA) amended Annex I, section d), of Resolution DPA No. 231/2023, setting the Industrial Use Coefficient (Ku) applicable to Category IV “Metalliferous Mining Industry” at Ku = 146.52. The measure is issued within the framework of the provisions of Law Q No. 2952 that regulates the special or private uses of the waters of the public water domain and defines the formula for the calculation of royalties.
The value previously established for the Metalliferous Mining Industry (Ku = 48.82) remained unchanged since 2014 and had not been applied due to the absence of this type of industry in the province. Based on a technical analysis carried out with financing from the Federal Investment Council (CFI) and including comparisons with royalty values in other jurisdictions, it was concluded that there was a need to update and adapt the coefficients applicable to industrial uses, including that of the metalliferous mining category.
Mendoza
Resolution No. 450/2025 – Mendoza Mining Directorate – Classification of mineral treatment plants and applicable environmental obligations (O.G. 11/18/2025)
The Mining Directorate of the Province of Mendoza issued Resolution 450 of 10/11/2025 (“Resolution 450/2025“) by which it established that the cement, concrete and brick industries and any other activity that carries out technical processes on inputs of mineral origin must be considered mineral treatment plants (cf. arts. 249 of the Code. of Mining and 171 of the Code. of Proced. Mining) and, therefore, are subject to the mining-environmental regime.
As a result of this classification and as provided for in Resolution 450/2025 itself, the affected industries must submit the corresponding Environmental Impact Report to the Mining Directorate, in line with the provisions of Article 355 of the Mining Code and Article 27 of the Provincial Environmental Preservation Law No. 5961. Likewise, the resolution establishes that the requirements of Provincial Decree 820/2006, which regulates the contents and scope of the IIA according to the volume of processing, must also be complied with.
Resolution No. 462/2025 – Mendoza Mining Directorate – Creation and regulation of the Mining Projects Registry (O.G. 11/18/2025)
Through Resolution 462 of 11/17/2025 (the “Resolution 462/2025“), the Mining Directorate of Mendoza created the Registry of Mining Projects, as required by Article 50 of the Mining Procedure Code of Mendoza (Law No. 9,529). All petitioners, owners and operators of mining projects included in Title III, Chapter I of the Code must be registered in this registry.
The registration must be managed through the Mining Directorate’s Ticket system and include, among other elements, basic information about the project, the Affidavit of Good Practices (in accordance with the guide approved by Resolution No. 192/24) and the Technical Affidavit provided for in Article 45 of the Mining Procedure Code.
Resolution 462/2025 provides that the Environmental Mining Authority may require petitioners, owners and operators to report within 15 days the progress and technical results of the work of the registered mining projects. For projects in pre-feasibility and feasibility phases, those reached must also report reserve calculations, detailing technical, economic, environmental and social aspects, in accordance with Article 49 of the Mining Procedure Code.
Failure to comply with the obligations set forth in Resolution 462/2025 constitutes an infraction under the terms of article 203 of the Mining Code, subject to the penalties provided for in the same law: warning, fine, temporary suspension of activities, temporary or permanent closure of works and establishments, and definitive disqualification from the Registry of Mining Producers.