The sector reached USD 4.742 billion between January and June, with strong increases in lithium, gold, and silver
The performance was mainly driven by the growth of lithium exports, which recorded a 185% increase compared to the first half of 2025. Meanwhile, metal ores also showed a significant expansion of 58% in the same period.
For its part, the rest of the sector's exports, which include non-metallic minerals, showed a 3.9% increase, consolidating a widespread growth across different segments of mining activity.
The exports of the mining sector reached a new historical high during the first half of 2026, according to data released by the Minister of Economy, Luis âTotoâ Caputo, through his account on X.
According to official information from the Mining Secretariat, the total exported between January and June amounted to USD 4.742 billion.
This level represents a 74.4% increase compared to the same period in 2025 and a 154.7% increase compared to the average recorded for the first halves between 2010 and 2025.
The data positions the sector as one of the main drivers of export growth so far this year, boosted by the reforms made by the Government of Javier Milei.
âMINING SECTOR EXPORTS REACHED A NEW HISTORICAL RECORD IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2026,â announced Caputo on X.
Within the group of metal ores, external sales of gold and silver stood out particularly. In both cases, the increases were significant: gold recorded a 51.2% increase, while silver grew by 87.9% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The report also details an expansion in the main export destinations. Among them, the growth of sales to China was notable, with an increase of 205%. Likewise, South Korea showed a rise of 196%, followed by Canada with an increase of 95% and the United States, where exports grew by 90%.
The released data reflect a strong dynamic in the mining sector during the first six months of the year, both in terms of exported volume and market diversification. In this context, the sustained growth of key products like lithium, along with improvements in prices and international demand for metals, contributed to the achieved results.
Official information places 2026 as a year of strong expansion for mining activity in terms of foreign trade, with figures that far exceed previous historical records for the same period.
