April 2025 Newsletter
Lithium Mining in La Puna Argentina: working together on the road to safety
In my August 2023´s newsletter I wrote about lithium mining in South America´s “lithium triangle”, and how multinational companies´ sustainable reporting requirements on their global supply chains might have just been the right trigger to motivate local transport companies in the use of safe and productive heavy vehicle transport technologies and systems.
Today I went to an event hosted by the Education, Science and Technology of the Salta Province, in Argentina. In the event, besides giving the diplomas to all graduates from the High-Altitude Driver course, companies that have accompanied these changes towards productivity, road safety and the environment were recognised too. In the picture you may see, left to right, Rio Tinto Lithium Road Safety Advisor, Vilma Vacazur, one of the owners of Nuevo Bus & GVH, a logistics company specializing in the mining sector, one of her graduates and myself (holding the Spanish version of the Bitrains in Australia book).
The local logistics company has evolved since I met them three years ago, purchasing newer and safer vehicles, and continuously training their people. They saw in the multinationals an opportunity to grow, not a threat. Mining has changed the lives of residents of the Puna. Luis, Vilma’s brother and another of the owners of GVH explained to the national news, “Before, our people left for the big cities because there was no work in the Puna. Today, thanks to exploration and the construction of mining projects, many have returned. Not only that, the province has also benefited, creating a value chain in which everyone participates, from food suppliers to clothing manufacturers for the miners. The 21st-century mining has brought prosperity and growth”.
It should be noted that both Luis and Vilma say with pride that 25 years ago their family was selling raffles to make ends meet. Themselves as other colleagues started helping mining companies travel in La Puna.
The company bought last year three 60 ton bitrains, 7 axles. Drivers say they would not drive anything else now! Here is the video of bitrains in La Puna. Other local companies have followed suit. So, Vilma and Luis took the chance in the event I mentioned to introduce me to the Education Minister and next week we shall be talking with the ministry, mining and logistics companies about developing a Bitrain Drivers School, similar to the one we had in San Luis Province 10 years ago.
While blistering winds, steep slopes, hairpin curves and precipices and thermal variation of around 35 degrees Celsius in single day continue, Starlink has been a game changer and equalizer. Not only it has solved the challenge of non-existent communication signals for long stretches of road but also has provided indigeneous communities the possibility of attracting those who left for lack of opportunities and become entrepreneurs in their own place.
The CRIM: another equalizer
Last year we developed together with the logistics area of the Rincon Lithium Project what we named “the CRIM” (Control of Internal and Mechanical Requirements). The CRIM is a new semi-annual review of road transport configurations, additional to those performed by the transport company (e.g. preventive maintenance and/or the Mandatory Technical Review (RTO in Spanish)). Argentine regulations do not require an RTO for 12 months after purchasing a new vehicle. The CRIM checks that configurations comply with requirements regarding passive and active safety systems, and that those systems work properly.
The CRIM is currently executed by three independent, suitable and multi-brand workshop. The objective is to detect and anticipate potential risks in the performance of active and passive safety parts and systems. Several of the units sent to the CRIM showing significant observations are either new (not required to have an RTO) or had the RTO approved, confirming the relevance of this independent control. The poor state of maintenance of configuration elements, such as semi-trailers for fuel transportation, tractors with severe brake failures, fluid leaks, and malfunctioning or broken lights and batteries. Such potential failures place at risk people and cargo, as seen with other mining companies during the semester.
The results have confirmed the relevance of the control, which has been extended to the transportation of people. Transport operators are purchasing configurations in accordance with the project’s requirements such as higher power, diverse braking systems, stability control, and other road safety systems.
Conclusions
Road safety through transport technology has to be embraced. I have witness the change in minds and hearts of both indigenous and multinational companies, for different reasons maybe, but towards the same result. However, it is the people in those companies who push these changes. I hope to be telling you more about it in our next HVTT conference in Quebec in May.
Oh, autumn has arrived early in Salta, however no complains from my side, and luckily, no dengue mosquitos either!
Have a lovely weekend all,
Dr. Alejandra Efron
HVTT Vice-President: South and Central America
