Argentina emerges as cornerstone of Rio’s lithium push

Rio Tinto is making Argentina the centre of its global lithium strategy, with chair Dominic Barton highlighting growing momentum across the company’s Andean brine assets.

Barton said his visits to the Fenix and Rincon operations in north-west Argentina underscored the depth of Rio’s lithium platform, which has expanded rapidly since the $US7.6 billion acquisition of Arcadium Lithium.

At Fenix, a long-established brine operation now part of Rio Tinto Lithium following the Arcadium acquisition, Barton said on LinkedIn he was “struck by the strong operational expertise of the team and its deep technical capacity” and praised the site’s 30-year record of engagement with local communities.

Just kilometres away, Rio’s Rincon project is emerging as a cornerstone growth asset. The company’s first commercial-scale lithium operation is advancing toward a large, long-life development in the heart of the “lithium triangle”, with direct lithium extraction technology designed to improve water efficiency and deliver battery-grade lithium carbonate at scale.

The focus on Argentina comes as Rio reshapes its global lithium portfolio. The company placed its Jadar lithium project in Serbia on care and maintenance in November, citing regulatory delays and community opposition, while prioritising capital toward higher-quality assets. Chief executive Simon Trott has said Rio’s breadth of options allows it to push only its strongest projects forward.

Barton’s visit also included meetings in Buenos Aires with Argentine President Javier Milei, senior economic ministers and provincial governors, alongside discussions with the World Bank and International Finance Corporation.

“These conversations are critical in helping us work together to help unlock Argentina’s potential as a reliable and responsible source of critical minerals for the world, while creating lasting benefits for the country and local communities through employment and the development of a supplier base,” he said.

With Rincon progressing toward a 60,000-tonne-per-annum operation and long-life brine assets underpinning growth, Rio appears increasingly confident Argentina will anchor its bid to build a world-class lithium business.