It is the seventh lithium project to apply for inclusion in Argentina’s Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI), of which three have already been approved. The Chinese mining company has committed an investment of $3 billion to be deployed in three phases.
The company aims to achieve first production in the first half of 2026, positioning Galan as a low-cost, high-efficiency player in the heart of the Lithium Triangle.
The company brought in U.S.-based ILiAD Technologies to deploy its advanced Direct Lithium Extraction pilot unit at the Sal de Vida deposit in Catamarca province. ILiAD’s technology uses a selective adsorption platform that captures lithium ions from brine almost instantaneously, while responsibly returning the remaining components to the aquifer.
The Economy Ministry reported that total exports reached $6.037 billion in 2025, the highest level on record. Lithium also posted a new record, and the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) is expected to be one of the main drivers sustaining the sector’s growth in the coming years.
U.S. companies that receive loans or guarantees from EXIM are not allowed to use them for projects in Argentina, which the U.S. agency classifies as “high risk.”
A report highlights the sector’s development and predicts that lithium and copper will be major drivers.
