Overview
- The Chamber of Deputies approved the reform by 137 votes to 111 with 3 abstentions, clearing the final congressional hurdle after an earlier Senate nod.
- The measure narrows what counts as protected periglacial terrain, keeps a strict ban on activity on visible glaciers, and lets mining in areas without a proven hydrological role under looser provincial control.
- La Libertad Avanza secured backing from PRO, the UCR, and deputies from mining provinces, while the debate unfolded under scrutiny of Chief of Cabinet Manuel Adorni’s finances and failed opposition bids to force his interpellation.
- Supporters say the change gives legal certainty to unlock large projects in San Juan, Mendoza, Catamarca, Salta, and Jujuy, with investment estimates in the tens of billions of dollars tied to firms such as Glencore, BHP, Barrick, and Rio Tinto.
- Opponents and NGOs vow lawsuits that cite constitutional minimum‑standard rules, warn of risks to headwater reserves under climate stress, and point to pre‑vote federal transfers flagged by FARN as evidence of transactional politics.