Argentina’s lithium landscape is at a transformative inflection point, driven by substantial progress across several projects.
One of them is Hombre Muerto Oeste (HMW), the project being developed by Galan Lithium Limited in the Salar del Hombre Muerto, a high-altitude salt flat shared by the provinces of Catamarca and Salta in northwestern Argentina.
During the fourth quarter of 2025, the company consolidated its technical and financial execution, keeping Phase 1 of the project firmly on track to achieve first production in the first half of 2026.
This timeline not only marks an engineering milestone but is also strategically aligned to capture the expected recovery in the global lithium market, positioning Galan as a low-cost, high-efficiency producer in the heart of the Lithium Triangle, the region spanning Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.
Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega, the company’s managing director, said: “This was a strong quarter for Galan, marked by significant progress in construction activities at Hombre Muerto Oeste. With financing for Phase 1 construction secured and works well advanced, we remain firmly on track for first production in the first half of 2026.”
“It is also important to note that we continue to assess the opportunity to expand Phase 1 capacity from 4,000 tonnes per year of LCE to more than 5,000 tonnes per year, leveraging existing infrastructure and improving the scale of the project. 2026 will be a transformative year for Galan and its shareholders as we move toward production and cash flow at a time of improving confidence and market conditions for the lithium sector,” he added.
Technical infrastructure at the HMW site has seen material progress, underscoring the company’s commitment to operational excellence. A critical component is the Phase 1 nanofiltration plant, which has successfully completed rigorous performance testing in Sydney, confirming that all design parameters have been met.
The plant is currently en route to Argentina and is scheduled to arrive in early 2026, enabling immediate commissioning activities. On site, civil works have also advanced: earthworks for the processing plant have been completed and the concrete foundation slab has been poured, while evaporation ponds 4 and 5 were redesigned and built to optimize the initial production rate of 4,000 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).
Beyond initial targets, Galan’s management is actively evaluating asset optimization to lift Phase 1 capacity above 5,000 tonnes per year of LCE, using existing infrastructure to enhance economies of scale.
A key factor underpinning Galan’s long-term competitiveness is its inclusion in Argentina’s Large Investment Incentive Regime, known by its Spanish acronym RIGI. The framework grants significant tax incentives and 30 years of fiscal stability, an advantage shared in Argentina’s lithium industry only with Rio Tinto.
Approval under RIGI, which covers an investment of about $217 million for the development of HMW, ensures that the project is not only technically viable, with one of the lowest impurity profiles in Argentina, but also financially resilient, placing it in the first quartile of the global industry cost curve.