US$ 4,078 Mgold exports in 2025, a record
US$ 785 Msilver exports in 2025
Santa Cruzthe province that exports the most minerals
The main mines
| Mina | Provincia | Operator | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerro Vanguardia | Santa Cruz | AngloGold Ashanti and Fomicruz | 1998 |
| Veladero | San Juan | Barrick and Shandong Gold | 2005 |
| San José | Santa Cruz | Hochschild | 2008 |
| Gualcamayo | San Juan | — | 2009 |
| Cerro Negro | Santa Cruz | Newmont | 2014 |
| Cerro Moro | Santa Cruz | Pan American Silver | 2018 |
| Chinchillas (plata) | Jujuy | — | 2018 |
| Lindero | Salta | Fortuna Mining | 2020 |
Indicative list of the most important mines; the ownership of several changed in recent years.
How it is produced
- Epithermal veins (Santa Cruz): underground or open-pit mining of high-grade gold and silver veins, with processing plants and "doré" (gold and silver bars) as the product.
- Large disseminated deposits (Veladero): low-grade open pit and heap leaching, at more than 4,000 meters.
- With record gold prices, mines are extending their life and projects that were not profitable are coming back, such as Diablillos (Salta and Catamarca, under RIGI) and the Veladero expansion.
What comes next
According to Mining Secretariat projections, gold would reach a peak of about US$ 5,700 million in exports around 2030 and then decline as the current mines mature; silver would rebound from 2032 with by-products of the copper projects. See Outlooks.
What it means for a supplier
- The Santa Cruz mines are far from everything: camps, logistics, power (own generation or a line) and equipment maintenance are permanent contracts.
- Underground mining demands specialized services: drifting, ventilation, ground support, drilling and blasting.
Fuentes
Updated as of October 9, 2026. Anything to correct or add? Write to us.