Law 24.196 Mining Investment Law

Country / jurisdiction: Argentina · Year: 1993 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

In 1993, the Argentinian Congress passed the Mining Investment Law to support the mining industry. The law was amended in July 2025 by Decree 449/2025 to reduce the administrative burden on mining companies by simplifying the authorisation and registration processes.

Article 8 establishes that mining enterprises based in Argentina or otherwise authorised to operate in its territory will enjoy "fiscal stability" for a term of 30 years counted from the date of presentation of their feasibility study.  The definition of “fiscal stability” in Article 8 was amended in 2001 from a broad rule into a more detailed test, clarifying which contributions are included and setting out clear rules and exceptions for when a modification qualifies as an increase.

Article 23 directs mining companies to establish a special environmental fund to prevent and correct the damages that the mining activity may cause in the environment. The annual amount set aside will be at the discretion of the company, but it will be considered as a deductible charge in the determination of the income tax, up to an amount equivalent to five percent (5%) of the operating costs of extraction and benefit.

Article 27 directs mining companies to submit surface geological information of the explored areas for incorporation into a national database administered by the Argentine Geological and Mining Service (SEGEMAR), a decentralized agency whose objective is to register all geological information of the national territory for public consultation.

As amended the 2025, the Law streamlines the administrative process for verifying past and projected investments (Article 18 and 26) and simplifies the requirements for obtaining a fiscal stability certificate (Article 10).

Official source: https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/0-4999/594/texact.htm