Vicuña mining project expands in San Juan with new infrastructure and operational agreements

The Vicuña mining project in San Juan, Argentina, is advancing through new infrastructure developments and expanded operational agreements. Vicuña has awarded the construction contract for Section A of the North Corridor to a joint venture (UTE) consisting of Contreras, BBC (Boetto y Buttigliengo Constructora), and the local firm Construmin. This 63.6-kilometer stretch will connect Angualasto to Junta La Palca, serving as a vital logistics route for the project's upcoming stages.

Simultaneously, the San Juan provincial government, led by Governor Marcelo Orrego, has signed an agreement with multinational operators BHP and Lundin Mining to expand the scale of the Vicuña project. The project, which targets copper, gold, and silver, is a joint venture between the Anglo-Australian BHP and the Canadian Lundin Mining. While the expansion aims to increase production, it has faced criticism regarding environmental impacts, specifically concerning water consumption and the proximity of operations to glaciers and periglacial environments in the high mountains.