Mendoza, November 27, 2025 – Total News Agency (TNA) – The Mendoza Chamber of Deputies granted preliminary approval this Thursday to the Environmental Impact Declaration for the PSJ Cobre Mendocino project, a key step that enables its advancement to the exploitation stage and once again places the debate on economic diversification and mining development under strict control standards on the provincial agenda.
The project, driven by the ruling party and backed by Deputy Guillermo Mosso, was presented as a historic opportunity for the province to incorporate a “‘mother of industries’” without renouncing the institutional character that defines Mendoza. According to the legislator, the approval comes in a context of political legitimacy following the electoral ratification on October 26, where the public showed support for the pro-mining course of Governor Alfredo Cornejo.
The initiative was based on a file that went through all the required legal procedures: a technical report from the National University of Cuyo Foundation, an evaluation by 16 sectoral agencies —including Irrigation, Hydraulic, Heritage, Biodiversity, and Protected Areas— and the approval of the Interdisciplinary Mining Environmental Assessment Commission (SEAM).
For its promoters, Mendoza faces a historic opportunity to expand its productive matrix without displacing traditional activities, but rather by enhancing value chains, employment, and technology. This is complemented by the creation of the Environmental Management Unit (UGA), which will allow for continuous and participatory monitoring throughout all stages: construction, operation, and closure.
In parallel, it was argued that the initiative could become a motor of technological, logistical, and industrial development for the province.
The ruling party has emphasized that this is not about “‘giving a blank check’”, but rather advancing with a regulated, controlled activity subject to a robust legal framework.
The ruling party also highlighted that the copper concentrate “‘does add value’” as it captures 83% of the mineral's total value, while refining represents only 5%.
In the broader geopolitical and productive framework, the San Juan and Mendoza mountain range would consolidate as the “‘future Añelo of copper’”, with large-scale projects such as Los Azules, Altar, Pachón, San Jorge, José María, and Filo del Sol, which could position the region as the epicenter of the national production of this strategic resource.
The debate also reopened the discussion on fiscal distribution between the Nation and the provinces. Similarly, a Free, Prior, and Informed Consultation was carried out with indigenous communities in accordance with ILO Convention 169.
The ruling party insisted that the current project is a completely different version from the one presented in 2011: it does not use substances prohibited by Law 7722, incorporates thickened tailings instead of tailings dams, and plans a cable car system that limits water use to avoid altering the natural flow of the stream.
A record public hearing was also highlighted, with nearly 4,000 registrants and more than 7,000 presentations, where 67% of participants expressed their support for the venture.
So-called “‘mining 4.0’”—based on sensors, automation, and data intelligence—would allow for the implementation of control systems capable of detecting failures or anomalies in real time, an advance that the ruling party considers essential to prevent environmental incidents such as those that occurred in other provinces in the past.
One of the points underscored in the legislative debate was the impact the project would have on Uspallata, as it contemplates the construction of a transformer substation that would improve the electricity supply in a region historically affected by outages and fluctuations.
In macroeconomic terms, PSJ Cobre Mendocino plans an initial investment (CapEx) of USD 560 million, annual operating expenses (Opex) of USD 120 million over 16 years—with a possibility of extension up to 28—and an estimated fiscal impact of USD 1.4 billion, figures subject to adjustments after detailed engineering.
