Rio Tinto opens $1.4 billion Argentina lithium projects
Rio Tinto opened the Fénix 1B expansion and Sal de Vida in Catamarca for about $1.4 billion; at full ramp they add 25,000 t of LCE a year.
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what happened
Rio Tinto has put into operation the Fénix 1B expansion and the Sal de Vida project in Catamarca province, Argentina. Roughly $1.4 billion has been invested in the two sites. First production came in the second quarter, and both operations are now ramping up.
At full capacity, the projects are expected to yield 25,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent per year: Fénix 1B adds 10,000 t and Sal de Vida 15,000 t. The company is targeting 200,000 t of LCE a year by 2028. The information comes from a TradingView report citing Rio Tinto's press release.
why it matters
For markets, this marks a shift from construction to output growth. The price impact depends on the pace of ramp-up, contract terms and lithium prices, none of which the report discloses. Investors will watch whether volume targets are met.
market impact
Lithium: more future supply puts pressure on metal prices
- Lithium carbonate pressure down — new capacity in Argentina adds to global supply
tags
instruments
sources
- Rio Tinto (RIO) Opens $1.4B Argentina Lithium Projects, Adding 25Kt LCE Capacity — TradingView, 28 October 2026 at 19:07 UTC
prepared by the newsmetry newsroom with ai assistance from the sources listed below. not investment advice.
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