Chile and Three Other Countries Sign Joint Statement on Critical Minerals

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 28, mining authorities from Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru held their first strategic minerals ministerial meeting in Santiago, Chile, and signed the Joint Declaration on Regional Integration of Strategic Minerals. The four countries will establish regional cooperation arrangements covering critical mineral development, industrial chain investment, professional talent, and technical research.

The declaration was signed by Chile's Minister of Economy and Mining, Daniel Mas; Argentina's Secretary of Mining, Luis Lucero; Bolivia's Vice Minister of Mining Policy, Regulation, and Oversight, Walter Landívar; and Peru's Minister of Energy and Mining, Guillermo Shinno. The scope of cooperation covers mining regulation, geological research, mining public policy, and professional talent development. The competent authorities of the four countries will exchange experience and explore the establishment of technical and institutional cooperation mechanisms.

Investment cooperation covers the regional mining industry chain. The four countries will seek technical and financial support from multilateral institutions, explore the establishment of a joint project call mechanism, and engage public sectors and private enterprises in scientific research, technological innovation, and mining management capacity building. The declaration also places responsible investment, sustainable development of mineral resources, and regional supply chains on the shared agenda, involving copper, lithium, and other strategic minerals.

Daniel Mas stated at the signing event that the energy transition and the construction of artificial intelligence infrastructure are expected to increase demand for critical minerals by 400% to 600% over the next decade. Chile's exports of mining products and services to Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru are currently six times the scale of its mineral product exports to these three countries. Chile plans to incorporate cross-border cooperation among mining suppliers, technical service providers, and professionals into subsequent regional collaboration efforts.

The declaration also outlines the existing bilateral mining cooperation foundations among the four countries. Chile and Argentina restarted the management committee of the Mining Integration and Complementarity Treaty in 2026, which applies to cross-border mining projects in their border regions; Chile and Peru signed a memorandum of understanding on mining affairs in 2025. The four countries will build on these mechanisms to prepare joint scientific research, innovation, and institutional development projects.

Luis Lucero stated that some copper mining projects in the region have operating cycles of 50 to 70 years, and Argentina will join a region expected to collectively produce more than half of the world's copper output. Walter Landívar proposed that Bolivia will participate in mining regulatory experience exchange, technical cooperation, and responsible investment projects; Guillermo Shinno stated that Peru will incorporate mineral processing value addition and supply chain development into regional collaboration efforts.