Argentina is key US partner for rare earth extraction, says Rubio

Argentina has all the necessary capabilities to become a producer of rare earths, says US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

The United States’ top diplomat made his remark on the sidelines of an international meeting on the sector held in Washington on Wednesday.

“Argentina has the capacity in terms of natural resources … not just for the United States, but for the world,” Rubio said at a press conference.

The country “also has expertise in processing, which will also be critically important,” he added.

Argentina was one of more than 50 countries taking part in the ministerial meeting organised by the United States.

Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said in a post on social media that "Argentina is committed to deepening cooperation with the United States on critical minerals, supporting secure supply chains and promoting a strategic partnership based on clear rules and long-term predictability."

Minerals and rare earths have become a critical sector for the manufacture of technological products, from mobile phones to computers and satellites. 

US President Donald Trump’s government has made the search for these resources one of the key objectives of its foreign economic policy.

China dominates global production and processing of these natural resources, the result of a long-term strategy.

Argentina, which has close economic and financial ties with the Asian giant, is maintaining a difficult balancing act. 

President Javier Milei has made a geopolitical alliance with Trump his main point of reference for Argentina’s foreign policy.

Washington came to Argentina’s aid in the second half of 2025, with a US$20-billion currency swap that influenced the campaign for last year’s midterm election.
elections. 

Asked at the press conference whether the two countries were negotiating an agreement for Argentina to receive immigrants deported from the United States, Rubio said there had been no announcement on the matter.

Reports to that end began circulating last month after The New York Times published an article suggesting that Buenos Aires and Washington were in talks that would pave the way for migrants expelled from the US would be transferred to Argentine territory before returning to their countries of origin. 

Milei addressed the report publicly for the first time last month. reposting a message on X from another user describing the information as “100 percent false.”

Quirno hails investment

Speaking from Washington, Quirno announced Wednesday that a new US$14-billion investment is incoming via President Milei’s RIGI major investment incentive scheme. 

He made the announcement after meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, officials from other nations, business leaders from various sectors and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Regarding the meetings, Quirno said he had spoken  "with companies in mining, agribusiness, technology, energy and consumer goods, among other strategic sectors, and representatives of the US Department of Commerce and the Inter-American Development Bank."

Representatives from Chevron, Eni, Shell, Merck, Corteva Agriscience, Roche, Bayer and VISA were among those in attendance. 

Quirno also met Gary Nagle, global CEO of Glencore, one of the world's largest commodity producers, who confirmed his commitment to Argentine mining by presenting two large-scale copper projects.

The estimated joint investment is US$14 billion and will be allocated to two copper projects that have remained in the exploration and feasibility stage for years and will now move into the construction phase: El Pachón (San Juan) and MARA (Catamarca), said officials. 

Quirno specified that "both were presented to the RIGI and, together, would amount to an investment of close to US$14 billion, with a decisive impact on production, exports and job creation in our country."

– TIMES/AFP/PERFIL/NA