Mining
Argentina ranks among the world's top destinations for mining investment, holding some of the largest reserves of lithium, copper, gold, and silver on the planet. The country's geological endowment — concentrated across the Andean provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca, San Juan, and Mendoza — combined with a federal regulatory framework specifically designed to attract long-term capital, positions Argentina as a tier-one jurisdiction for international mining companies.
Regulatory Landscape The Argentine mining sector is governed primarily by the Mining Code (Law No. 1,919) and the Mining Investment Law (Law No. 24,196), which together establish one of the most stable and investor-friendly legal frameworks in Latin America. The Mining Investment Law provides qualifying projects with a 30-year fiscal stability guarantee, capping royalties at 3% of pithead value and protecting investors from increases in tax burden at the national, provincial, and municipal levels throughout the life of the project.
As with the energy sector, mining resources in Argentina are owned by the provinces under the national Constitution, meaning that operational success requires navigating both federal legislation and the specific concession, environmental, and royalty regimes of each producing province. This dual-layer structure demands experienced legal counsel with genuine on-the-ground knowledge of provincial authorities and procedures.
Key regulatory bodies include the Secretariat of Mining (Secretaría de Minería), provincial mining agencies, and CONICET for environmental and geological assessments. Environmental permitting — governed by Law No. 24,585 and complementary provincial regulations — is a critical path item for any new project and requires careful, proactive legal management.
The Lithium Opportunity & the RIGI Regime Argentina forms part of the "Lithium Triangle" alongside Chile and Bolivia, holding the world's largest lithium reserves — a strategic resource of global importance in the context of the energy transition and the electrification of transport. International demand for Argentine lithium has driven a significant wave of exploration and production investment, with major projects underway across the Puna region of Jujuy, Salta, and Catamarca.
The Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI), enacted in 2024, applies directly to large-scale mining projects and offers participating companies long-term fiscal, customs, and foreign exchange stability — significantly reducing the regulatory risk associated with major capital commitments in Argentina.
How We Can Help Vergara & Asociados advises mining companies across the full project lifecycle — from initial exploration permits and environmental approvals through to production stage contracts, royalty negotiations, community and labor relations, and dispute resolution. Our team has deep knowledge of the concession regimes of Argentina's key mining provinces and extensive experience structuring joint ventures, EPC agreements, and supply contracts for large-scale mining operations.
We assist international companies in navigating every layer of Argentina's mining regulatory framework, providing the legal certainty and strategic guidance necessary to protect their investment and support long-term operational success.
Oil & Gas
Argentina is one of the most strategically significant energy markets in Latin America, home to Vaca Muerta — the world's second-largest shale gas reserve and fourth-largest shale oil reserve — and a rapidly evolving regulatory environment designed to attract large-scale international investment.
Regulatory Landscape The Argentine hydrocarbon sector is governed by the Hydrocarbons Law (Law No. 17,319) and its subsequent amendments, with oversight shared between the national Secretariat of Energy and the producing provinces, which retain ownership of subsurface resources under the Argentine Constitution. This federal structure means that successful operations require navigating both national and provincial frameworks simultaneously — a complexity that demands experienced, on-the-ground legal counsel.
Key regulatory bodies include the Secretariat of Energy (Secretaría de Energía), ENARGAS (natural gas regulation), ENRE (electricity regulation), and ENARSA (the state energy company), alongside the provincial agencies of Neuquén, Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Mendoza — the country's main producing jurisdictions.
Foreign Investment & the RIGI Regime Argentina's Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI — Régimen de Incentivo a las Grandes Inversiones), enacted in 2024, represents a landmark shift in the country's approach to attracting foreign capital in strategic sectors, including Oil & Gas. The regime offers long-term fiscal, customs, and foreign exchange stability for qualifying investments, providing international companies with an unprecedented level of legal certainty over extended project horizons.
For international companies evaluating entry into Argentina, understanding the interaction between the RIGI framework, provincial concession regimes, and existing contractual structures is essential to sound investment planning.
How We Can Help Vergara & Asociados has extensive experience advising companies operating across the full Oil & Gas value chain — from upstream exploration and production to midstream transportation and downstream commercialization. Our team provides comprehensive legal support at every stage: initial market entry structuring, concession and permit management, joint venture and EPC contract drafting, labor relations in field operations, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution before national courts and international arbitration tribunals.
We combine deep sectoral knowledge with the legal and strategic expertise required to protect our clients' investments and facilitate their long-term presence in the Argentine market.
With direct experience in Vaca Muerta projects and operations across Argentina's major Patagonian basins, our firm provides comprehensive legal support to national and international energy companies at every stage of their operations — from initial investment structuring and concession management to field labor relations, contract administration, and dispute resolution before Argentine courts and international arbitration tribunals.
Sea Port Logistics
Argentina's port and logistics infrastructure is the backbone of its export economy, channeling the flow of agricultural commodities, energy products, industrial goods, and bulk cargo through a network of river, coastal, and deep-sea terminals that connect the country to global markets. For international companies with supply chain, distribution, or energy transport operations in Argentina, understanding the legal and regulatory framework governing port activity is essential to sound operational and investment planning.
Regulatory Landscape Argentina's port sector is regulated by the Port Activities Law (Law No. 24,093), which established a mixed public-private model and opened the sector to private investment and management through long-term concession agreements. The national authority — the Undersecretariat of Ports and Waterways (Subsecretaría de Puertos y Vías Navegables) — oversees port planning, concessions, and navigability of the country's major waterways, including the critically important Paraná-Paraguay Hidrovía, through which approximately 80% of Argentina's agricultural and energy exports flow.
Provincial and municipal ports operate under their own regulatory frameworks, creating a layered jurisdiction that requires careful legal navigation — particularly for companies managing operations across multiple terminals or transport modalities.
The Hidrovía & Strategic Importance for Energy Companies The Paraná-Paraguay Waterway (Hidrovía) is one of South America's most strategically significant transport corridors, connecting Argentina's interior producing regions — including the energy basins of Neuquén and Patagonia — with Atlantic export terminals and international shipping routes. For Oil & Gas and mining companies operating in Argentina, the legal framework governing waterway transport, port access, customs clearance, and cargo handling is directly relevant to the efficiency and cost structure of their operations.
Ongoing concession renewal processes for the Hidrovía make this a particularly dynamic area of regulatory activity, with significant implications for companies that depend on waterway logistics for the movement of hydrocarbons, minerals, and equipment.
Customs & Trade Compliance Port operations in Argentina intersect directly with the country's customs regime, governed by the Customs Code (Law No. 22,415) and administered by AFIP/ARCA. For international companies importing capital equipment, specialized machinery, or raw materials — and for those exporting energy or mineral products — customs compliance is a critical operational and financial factor. Argentina's foreign trade regulations are complex and subject to frequent change, requiring ongoing legal monitoring and proactive compliance management.
How We Can Help Vergara & Asociados brings direct, hands-on experience in the Argentine port and logistics sector. Dr. Joaquín Vergara Fornari served as legal counsel to APM Terminals Buenos Aires (Maersk Group), one of the country's leading container terminals, providing our firm with an operational understanding of port law that goes well beyond academic knowledge.
Our team advises on port concession agreements, cargo and chartering contracts, maritime claims, customs disputes, and regulatory compliance across all aspects of port and logistics operations. We assist international companies in structuring their Argentine logistics operations efficiently, managing regulatory risk, and resolving disputes — whether through negotiation, administrative proceedings, or international arbitration.