On June 23, 2026, Decree 482/2026 (the “Decree”) was published in the Official Gazette of the Argentine Republic, thereby fully replacing the Annex to Decree No. 2686, which regulated Law No. 24.196 establishing the Mining Investment Law. The measure was issued with the aim of streamlining administrative procedures, reducing bureaucratic burdens, strengthening legal certainty and modernizing the instruments for oversight and promotion.
What does the new regulation set out?
The Decree approves a new regulatory Annex which comprehensively updates the procedures and scope of the Mining Investment Law, focusing on the digitization of administrative processes, the inclusion of new entities covered by the regime, and the clarification of the tax and operational benefits applicable to the activity.
Among its main provisions, the following stand out:
– Eligible entities: Legal entities incorporated in the country and resident individuals who engage in mining activities on their own account may participate in the program, provided they can demonstrate ownership of the mining project and its basic guidelines. Mining service providers are explicitly included; they must demonstrate annually that a minimum percentage of their revenue derives from such services, under penalty of suspension and eventual deregistration in the event of noncompliance.
– Electronic legal address: All registrants are required to establish an electronic legal address, to which all notifications under the framework will be deemed valid.
– Regional integration: The radius for regional integration is expanded from two hundred kilometers (200 km) to five hundred kilometers (500 km) for deposits located within national territory, while maintaining the requirement to use no less than fifty percent (50%) by weight of mineral inputs from the integrated deposits.
– Fiscal stability: It is specified that the thirty (30)-year benefit is calculated from the date of submission of the feasibility study, or of the additional information that enabled its approval; and a maximum period of sixty (60) administrative business days is established for the Enforcement Authority to issue the corresponding approval decision.
– VAT refund for exploration: The procedure for recovering the tax credit related to the exploration phase is simplified by reducing the documentation requirements to invoices and proof of payment, and by setting a deadline of thirty (30) administrative business days for both the technical evaluation and the issuance of the refund order.
– Income tax: Expenses related to prospecting, exploration, special studies, testing, and applied research associated with the project and applicable to mining activities are deductible, except for:
*advertising expenses, unless their direct connection to exploration activities is demonstrated; and
*expenses incurred prior to registration.
In cases of corporate reorganizations, losses arising from benefits under the Law are not transferable to successor entities, except in cases of company transformation or when the successor entity, registered under the Law, continues the same project.
– Import scheme: The system of prior authorizations is replaced by the submission of an importer’s affidavit regarding the mining use of the goods, integrated into the Argentine National Single Window for Foreign Trade (VUCEA) and automatically validated through the Malvina Computer System (SIM). The rules applicable to the importation of used or reconditioned goods are also updated.
– Environmental protection: The special provision of Article 23 of the Law is harmonized with the general regime of Law No. 25.675, establishing that proof of Mandatory Environmental Insurance may satisfy – subject to evaluation by the Enforcement Authority – the requirement to provide for the remediation of environmental damages.
Why is this important?
The Decree establishes a more streamlined, transparent, and digitized regulatory framework for the Mining Investment Law.
The explicit inclusion of mining service providers expands the scope of entities eligible for the benefits under Article 21 of the Law, while the extension of the regional integration radius to 500 km provides greater regulatory certainty for projects linking mineral deposits and processing plants in areas with complex logistics or in remote locations. In turn, greater clarity regarding the calculation of tax stability and administrative deadlines strengthens legal certainty for investors in the sector.
Validity
The Decree entered into force on June 24, 2026. The Enforcement Authority has a period of sixty (60) calendar days from the Decree’s entry into force to issue the complementary and explanatory regulations necessary for its implementation.
