A program tailored to the industry.

Day 1 Schedule

1. 08:30 – 10:00

   Badge Pick-Up & Networking CoffeeGENERAL RECEPTION & REGISTRATION

   First Conversations in Jujuy

   Registration, welcome coffee and an initial networking opportunity with the lithium industry

   Lithium in South America begins with a welcoming space for participants, international delegations, companies, government authorities and stakeholders from across the value chain to connect, hold their first business conversations and open two days of discussions in the region at the heart of Argentina’s lithium industry.

2. 10:00 – 10:45

   The Mining Northwest from Within: Three Industry Chambers Assess the Region’s Next Stage of Development

   Opening Snapshot: An Introduction to What Is Happening in Argentina’s Lithium Industry

   Jujuy, Salta and Catamarca account for a significant share of Argentina’s new production capacity and mining investment pipeline. Opening the conference program, the heads of the three provincial mining chambers assess the conditions shaping the industry’s next stage: sustained exploration, operational performance, supplier development, infrastructure, talent, permitting, regional conditions and new investment. The discussion will examine the current landscape across all three jurisdictions, with particular attention to the issues increasingly requiring a coordinated regional approach.

   Arturo Pfister President, Jujuy Mining Chamber

   Juan Martín Gilly President, Salta Mining Chamber

   Abás Tanus Mafud President, Catamarca Mining Chamber

   Moderated by

   Tomás Karagozian La Fábrica Podcast

   Oliver Maltz La Fábrica Podcast
3. 10:45 – 11:45

   International Outlook: Positioning within the New Geography of Critical Minerals

   Capital, financing and partnerships to turn resources into tangible growth

   Global competition for critical minerals is reshaping decisions by governments, investors and multilateral institutions. How can new projects secure the capital required for construction while generating growth in the regions where they operate? How is Argentina currently perceived by international investors and institutions? This international session will address geopolitics, access to capital, risk mitigation, infrastructure and international cooperation. It will also examine the conditions Argentina needs to convert its mineral resources into production, economic growth and development opportunities at the national level, against the backdrop of current global dynamics and the broader historical context shaping the mining industry.

   Erik Høeg Ambassador of the European Union to Argentina

   Felipe Fuentes Senior Underwriter, Industries, Latin America & the Caribbean, MIGA – World Bank Group

   León Cavalo Project Manager, Agence Française de Développement (AFD Argentina)

   Frédéric Maier Cooperation Attaché, European Union in Argentina

   Saúl Feilbogen Partner, Vitale, Manoff & Feilbogen Abogados

   Moderated by

   Natacha Izquierdo Chief Operating Officer, Abeceb

   Ignacio Celorrio Member of the 2026 Honorary Committee; EVP, Lithium Argentina
4. 11:45 – 13:00

   Lithium in Argentina: An Industry in Motion

   Governors and national authorities formally open the event and outline the sector’s next chapter

   The expansion of lithium has placed Jujuy, Salta and Catamarca at the center of a broader transformation extending well beyond the mineral itself. During the official opening, the governors of the Lithium Roundtable will address investment, infrastructure, supplier development, employment, competitiveness and regional coordination, as well as the relationship between the federal government and the provinces and the role mining can play in Argentina’s economic development over the coming years.

   The discussion will focus on what the region requires to support a new scale of investment; how to advance infrastructure that crosses provincial boundaries; the potential scope of a regional policy framework; how to coordinate suppliers, standards, permitting and institutional capabilities; the tangible outcomes of the Lithium Roundtable; and the role mining should play in Argentina’s economic and productive agenda through 2027.

   Carlos Sadir Governor of Jujuy

   Raúl Jalil Governor of Catamarca

   Gustavo Sáenz Governor of Salta

   Fernanda Ávila Executive Secretary, Lithium Roundtable; Member of Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies

   Luis Lucero National Secretary of Mining

   José Gómez Minister of Mining of Jujuy

   Exequiel José Lello Ivacevich President, JEMSE; Chair of the 2026 Honorary Committee

   Roberto Cacciola President, Argentine Chamber of Mining Companies
5. 13:00 – 14:30

   Brunch & Business Networking

   In Partnership with the International Lithium Association

   An extended break to recharge, connect with participants and hold strategic meetings

   The first break of the day combines brunch with an extended networking opportunity for participants. The format brings together local cuisine, scheduled business meetings and engagement among delegations, while providing additional time to continue conversations initiated during the opening sessions.

6. 14:30 – 14:45

   A New Regulatory Framework for Mining Investment in Argentina

   What changes under Decree 482/2026 and what it means for companies, projects and suppliers

   More than three decades after the original regulations implementing Law 24,196, Argentina has updated one of its core frameworks governing mining investment. The presentation will examine the changes introduced by Decree 482/2026 regarding imports, the incorporation of service providers, regional integration, digitalization and administrative procedures, as well as how the new framework interacts with the investment instruments currently available to the mining sector.

   María Eugenia Bais National Director of Mining Investments, Secretariat of Mining
7. 14:45 – 15:50

   Operating for Growth

   What Argentina’s leading lithium companies are addressing today

   Argentina’s lithium industry now has enough operating and advanced-stage projects for the conversation to shift from potential to performance. Costs, ramp-up, expansions, infrastructure, talent, suppliers and operational stability are becoming an increasingly tangible part of the industry agenda. Leading companies with different operating experiences and business models will compare lessons from the field, identify where the most significant challenges are emerging, and examine the variables that will shape the competitiveness of brine-based lithium production over the coming years.

   Carlos Carrillo Head of External Affairs, Rio Tinto Lithium

   Luciano Berenstein Country Manager, Albemarle

   Simón Pérez Alsina President, EXAR

   Guillermo Simonutti COO, Eramet Eramine

   Nicolás Damin CSO, CNGR

   Moderated by

   Tomás de Pablos 2026 Honorary Committee Member

   Guadalupe Muñoz Corporate Affairs Director, LLYC – Llorente & Cuenca
8. 15:50 – 16:50

   Argentina–United States: Critical Minerals within a Strategic Relationship

   Supply security, investment and new partnerships in an increasingly fragmented global landscape

   Critical minerals now occupy a central place in economic security, industrial policy and international trade agendas. Against this backdrop, Argentina and the United States have deepened their cooperation in mining and processing throughout 2026, while Washington accelerates efforts to diversify and strengthen its supply chains.

   The panel will examine the concrete opportunities this evolving framework creates for Argentina’s lithium industry, particularly in investment, infrastructure, financing and value addition. It will also explore how Argentina can deepen its relationship with one of the world’s leading economic and technology hubs while maintaining

   Fernando Ciácera National Director of Mining Promotion and Economics

   Gabriela Aguilar President, Argentina–Texas Chamber of Commerce

   Katrien Hinderdael Katrien Hinderdael, Director for Global Infrastructure and Investment, U.S. Department of State

   Moderated by

   José de Castro CEO, Alchemia
9. 16:50 – 17:30

   Coffee Break & Networking

10. 17:30 – 18:00

    From Resource to BatteryKeynote

    Lithium, costs and integration across the LFP value chain

    The growth of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries across both electric mobility and battery energy storage systems (BESS) is reshaping the global lithium value chain and reinforcing the importance of lithium carbonate within the industry’s cost structure.

    The presentation will examine the global distribution of lithium resources, the economic differences between brine- and hard-rock-based production, and how movements in lithium prices flow through to precursor materials, cathodes and batteries. It will also address the role of integration across the value chain in reducing risk, strengthening competitiveness and responding to increasingly diversified technology demand.

    From a Chinese perspective, the session will explore key trends that could reshape global supply through 2030, including the expansion of hard-rock lithium production in Africa and its competitive positioning relative to Latin America. The presentation will provide the perspective of one of the world’s leading battery materials companies on the shifts influencing the market, investment decisions and future supply requirements.

    Yang Jianyu (杨建育) Vice President, CNGR South America

    Session delivered in Chinese with consecutive interpretation into Spanish
11. 18:00 – 18:40

    Asia and the Global Positioning of Latin American LithiumKeynote

    What Asian markets are looking for and what distinguishes the region’s development models

    Resource availability is only the starting point. Turning those resources into production, processing capacity and new industrial capabilities also depends on product type and quality, infrastructure, costs, regulatory conditions and the investment incentives available in each jurisdiction.

    Andrew Leyland will examine the products Asian industry requires from international suppliers, ranging from lithium chloride and off-specification carbonate to battery-grade chemicals and cathode active materials. He will also explain the factors companies consider when deciding where to locate projects, establish partnerships or secure supply, and why Africa is increasingly competing with Latin America for the development of new segments of the value chain.

    José Hofer will examine how public policy can enable or constrain the execution of these investments. Drawing on experiences from Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Brazil, he will compare the role of incentives, state participation and investment promotion regimes, with reference to Argentina’s RIGI, Brazil’s MOVER program and the evolution of Chile’s regulatory framework.

    Two complementary perspectives on the conditions required to convert resources into production and the policy tools that can support the development of a broader lithium value chain.

    Andrew Leyland Founder, SC Insights

    José Hofer Lithium Supply Chain Specialist, SC Insights

    Session delivered in English with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish
12. 18:40 – 19:15

    Lithium: An Industry Still Misunderstood?CLOSING CONVERSATION | FIRESIDE CHAT

    Beyond the market outlook: Argentina’s emerging strategic role, the industry’s real challenges and the relationships shaping the next decade

    In the closing conversation of the day, presented alongside Zelandez, Joe Lowry will connect more than three decades of industry experience with the forces now reshaping the lithium
    sector: new price cycles, the growth of BESS, China’s influence, the underlying quality of projects, and the distinction between announcing capacity and delivering competitive production. The discussion will place particular emphasis on Argentina, its position within the global value chain, and the decisions, partnerships and capabilities that could turn today’s opportunity into a sustainable long-term industry. Drawing on his book Lithium Confidential and his latest perspectives on the market, Lowry will offer a more critical examination of the narratives currently shaping the sector.

    Joe Lowry Founder, Global Lithium LLC · Author of Lithium Confidential: Confessions of a Corporate Misfit

    Moderated by

    Clint Van Marrewijk Co-founder, Zelandez

    Session delivered in English with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish
13. 19:15 – 19:30

    Lithium Confidential Book Signing with Joe Lowry

    Book signing at the close of the day

    Joe Lowry will sign copies of Lithium Confidential for attendees who purchased the book in advance with their Lithium in South America registration or during the conference. A brief and informal opportunity at the close of the program to continue the conversation with one of the international industry leaders featured on the agenda.

    Joe Lowry Founder, Global Lithium LLC · Author of Lithium Confidential: Confessions of a Corporate Misfit
14. 19:30 – 21:00

    Welcome to Jujuy Cocktail ReceptionEXCLUSIVE TO SPONSORS & INVITED GUESTS

    Official reception with the host province and leaders from Argentina’s mining industry

    The first day concludes with an official reception alongside the Province of Jujuy, government authorities, company leaders, speakers and mining industry stakeholders. An institutional and business networking opportunity to welcome participating delegations, strengthen relationships and close the day in a relaxed setting, hosted by the province of Jujuy.