Two years after its creation, the RIGI had expanded rapidly: as of August 31, 2026, it included 44 active projects and nearly USD 200 billion in committed investment. At the same time, 84% of the projects were concentrated in mining and hydrocarbons. In this new report, we examine what lies behind these figures: how much employment and productive development the projects generate, what benefits remain in the territories where they are located, and what fiscal, social, and environmental costs they entail. We also focus in particular on two projects in the province of Mendoza—El Quemado and PSJ Cobre Mendocino—and compare the RIGI with the RIMI and the Súper RIGI in order to address a central question: does more investment necessarily mean more development?
This report builds on the work CIEC has been carrying out on the RIGI since 2025. Our previous reports are available here and here.