Argentina restarts environmental cleanup at major uranium mine

Argentina has reactivated environmental remediation efforts at the Sierra Pintada mining complex, the nation's most significant uranium deposit, located in Mendoza province.

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The environmental remediation tasks of the Sierra Pintada mining complex have been reactivated, after securing the necessary funds to advance with the cleanup of the historical liabilities of this place.

Presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier announced the resumption of work, stating that necessary funds have been secured for the cleanup of historical environmental liabilities. The Sierra Pintada mine operated from 1975 to 1997 before being closed due to high operating costs and falling international uranium prices. The remediation plan, initially launched in 2019, had been hampered by insufficient resources and a lack of coordination between national and provincial authorities.

The remediation tasks involve treating quarry water, managing solid waste, and recovering residual uranium using environmentally protected facilities. Ravier emphasized that this cleanup is a prerequisite for the future revival of uranium mining in Argentina, aligning with the current government's nuclear policy objectives. Between 1975 and 1997, the complex produced approximately 1,600 tons of uranium, representing about 20% of the estimated total resource of the deposit.

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The reactivation of remediation tasks constitutes a prior and indispensable step for the future reactivation of uranium mining in the country and is part of the new nuclear policy guidelines promoted by the Government.

Ravier highlighted uranium mining as a top priority to complete Argentina's nuclear industry supply chain and to position the country in the global market through exports. Official data indicates Argentina has identified around 35,000 tons of recoverable uranium, with additional geological potential in various regions. The country has 21 uranium mining projects, none currently in production, with several advanced projects being pursued by international and domestic companies.

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Uranium mining is an absolute priority to complete the supply chain of the Argentine nuclear industry and to insert the country into the global supply chain through the export of this metal.