The formal mining employment in Argentina showed in March a new year-on-year improvement, in line with the strong growth process that the sector is undergoing thanks to the economic reforms implemented by the Government of Javier Milei.
According to the latest report from the National Directorate of Promotion and Mining Economy, 40,141 jobs were recorded, representing a 1.2% increase compared to the same month of the previous year.
This marks the second consecutive year-on-year increase since June 2024, consolidating a trend of sustained growth in mining employment, in a context of macroeconomic stability and investment incentives.
President Javier Milei
The metal mining segment stood out again as the main driver of employment within the activity. This sector, which includes producers and explorers of gold, silver, copper, and other metallic minerals, reached 13,026 jobs in March.
The figure implies a growth of 808 jobs in year-on-year terms, equivalent to 6.6%. Additionally, it represents 32.5% of total mining employment, consolidating itself as the most dynamic core of the sector.
The report also indicates that the current growth in employment is supported by consolidated large-scale operations, which continue to sustain productive activity, which will receive a strong boost when new investments under the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI) begin to materialize.
President Javier Milei
In this sense, of the 59 companies in the metal mining sector, only 12 account for 82% of employment, with an average roster of 891 workers each. This group of companies leads the employment drive, while the remaining 47 firms share the remaining 18%, with a significantly lower average number of employees.
Regions of the country
Regionally, Santa Cruz continues to lead mining employment in the country, with 8,887 jobs recorded in March and a year-on-year growth of 3.1%. The province maintains its position thanks to a set of mature gold and silver operations that have kept stable levels of production and employment over time.
Meanwhile, Catamarca and San Juan positioned themselves as the provinces with the highest year-on-year growth in March, with increases of 21.9% and 8.4%, respectively.
In both cases, the advance is linked to the development of new projects and the favorable conditions generated by the RIGI, which is beginning to show its first effects on job creation.
Thus, the performance of mining employment reflects a transitional phase towards a broader expansion, where the reforms driven by the administration of Javier Milei are beginning to bear fruit in activity and employment.
