A medium-term solution has been found to transport problems in the Argentine Northwest. An old railway that connects the province of Salta, in Argentina, with the ports of Antofagasta and Mejillones, in Chile, has begun to be reactivated.
The Argentine government's estimate is to reduce transport costs to Asia via the Pacific Ocean by a third. At first, the railway transports up to 500 tons per week, mainly inputs for mineral production, and is operated by the companies Belgrano Cargas (Argentina) and Ferronor (Chile).
The largest lithium reserve in the world was recently found in the province of Salta, which should be explored by the company Pan American Silver with an investment of US$ 1 billion, with the aim of exporting mainly to China. Gradually, the railway will export more agricultural products, such as soybeans and corn, making the province of Salta more competitive in this type of production.
Source: Agrolink
