Critical and energy transition minerals in Argentina: mineral potential and challenges for strengthening public institutions

The energy transition will be mineral-intensive and the global demand for critical and energy transition minerals (ETMs) is expected to substantially rise. Such forecasts might generate both investment and development opportunities, as well as risks of intensified adverse impacts for the environment, biodiversity, and local communities in mineral-rich countries like Argentina. In this article, we provide a review of Argentina´s mineral potential for critical and ETMs and explore some pathways that the country could follow to strengthen its governance under sustainability principles. Our results indicate that copper and lithium are the minerals with the largest potential in the short-term. For other key ETMs, such as nickel, cobalt or graphite, potential exists but it remains underexplored.
We argue that although responsible sourcing initiatives and rising environmental, social and governance standards have an important role to play, a great challenge ahead for the country lies in strengthening its public institutions for sustainability. This includes substantial improvements of environmental institutions and water governance, new models of participation and decision-making, as well as better revenue management, informed fostering of local suppliers and incentives to innovate in processing routes to recover by-products of critical minerals. Addressing such challenges should be grounded on a vision that articulates mining with other economic activities and the domestic science, technology and innovation system.