Overview
- Vicuña announced on Sept. 11, 2026 that it awarded Tramo A (sections A1–A2), a 63.6 km stretch between Angualasto and Junta La Palca, to a UTE made up of Contreras, BBC and Construmin.
- The selected UTE will carry out heavy earthworks, drainage and safety works on the Corredor Norte and is expected to hire about 300 workers on site over a roughly 24‑month schedule.
- Vicuña said it will run a concentrated 2026–2027 diamond‑drilling campaign of about 55,500 metres focused on the binational Filo del Sol deposit and contracted Boart Longyear Argentina and HyTech Griffith to supply drilling services.
- The company has formalized a US$250 million advance with the Government of San Juan and the project is enrolled in Argentina’s RIGI, giving fiscal, royalty and environmental stability for the integrated Josemaría–Filo del Sol plan.
- The works face steep engineering challenges such as a planned 100‑metre bridge over the Río Blanco and passes above 3,700–4,400 metres, and some recent contracts to foreign firms for camp modules have drawn criticism from local suppliers seeking greater participation.