The Argentine company Ferromutún closed a contract with the Empresa Siderúrgica del Mutún (ESM) of Bolivia to import 900,000 tons of iron over a two-year period. The operation began with the shipment of a convoy of 12 barges, which last Sunday transported 25,000 tons of the mineral destined for the Argentine market.
The president of ESM, Jorge Alvarado, confirmed the agreement and highlighted that the export of iron will continue in the coming months under the terms of the contract. "Our client, Ferromutún, will continue extracting this amount of mineral in the following months. We have a contract to export 900,000 tons over a period of two years," he explained.
Iron export from Bolivia to Argentina
The first shipment took place at the Puerto Busch terminal in Santa Cruz, in the presence of the Minister of Mining and Metallurgy, Alejandro Santos, and other sector authorities. As detailed, each barge transported between 2,000 and 2,300 tons of mineral.
"We will continue exporting iron to benefit the municipalities of this region, the department of Santa Cruz, and all the Bolivian people," Santos emphasized during the loading ceremony. However, the authorities did not disclose the price per ton of the raw mineral exported.
Economic impact and steel production
In 2023, ESM marketed 130,000 tons of iron, generating revenues close to 19 million bolivianos. This year, the company plans to significantly increase its production and consolidate its participation in the regional market.
In this context, on February 24, the Bolivian government will officially deliver the Mutún Steel Complex, a key infrastructure for the industrialization of iron in the country. Additionally, by March, ESM plans to produce 3,000 tons of steel with high-grade iron, destined for the Bolivian market.
This agreement with Ferromutún reinforces Bolivia's strategy of exporting raw materials and strengthening the steel industry, while for Argentina it represents a key source of inputs for the metallurgical sector.
