# POSCO lithium project financing and legal disputes in AR

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/posco-lithium-project-financing-in-argentina
> Updated: 2026-08-26T21:38:46.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2.

POSCO Holdings has secured a $700 million credit facility to expand its lithium extraction operations at the Sal de Oro project, located in Argentina’s Salta and Catamarca provinces. The financing consists of an initial $250 million from IDB Invest and up to $450 million from international private financial institutions. This capital is intended to provide working capital for the company’s lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate plants, supporting an expansion aimed at reaching a combined annual production capacity of approximately 48,000 tons of lithium products.

The project benefits from Argentina’s Large-Scale Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI), which provides POSCO with 30 years of regulatory stability and tax exemptions. The development is also expected to create roughly 620 permanent jobs in the region.

However, POSCO Argentina is currently involved in a legal dispute with local contractors over unpaid construction costs for infrastructure at the Hombre Muerto salt flat. While the company maintains that only about $350,000 has been frozen, contractors claim that judicial records indicate approximately $2 million is subject to seizure. These claims may include additional operational and financial damages.

## Claims

- POSCO Argentina secured a $700 million short-term credit limit from IDB Invest. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The IDB Group is supporting critical mineral supply chains in Latin America through regional resource development projects. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The credit limit will be used as working capital for the first and second brine lithium plants in Argentina. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- POSCO Argentina achieved its first quarterly profit in the second quarter of this year. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The credit limit approval provides tax benefits on interest and financial transaction taxes under IDB establishment agreements. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The Argentine government's Large-Scale Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) provides tax and customs benefits for major projects. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-26: POSCO secures $700 million for Argentina lithium expansion

POSCO Holdings secured $700 million from IDB Invest to expand lithium production in Argentina, while simultaneously facing a legal dispute with local contractors over unpaid construction costs.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/posco-holdings-secures-700-million-for-argentina-lithium-projects

### 2026-08-26: POSCO expands customized support for regional SMEs in Pohang and Gwangyang

POSCO's ‘Steel One Team’ initiative has provided technical, digital, and financial support to SMEs in Pohang and Gwangyang, matching companies with 3.3 billion won in government-linked benefits.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/posco-expands-customized-support-for-regional-smes-in-pohang-and-gwangyang

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Cite as: POSCO lithium project financing and legal disputes in AR. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/posco-lithium-project-financing-in-argentina