Video News/BMO Capital Markets 2026

Vicuña Corp CEO Ron Hochstein said the newly combined Jose Maria and Filo del Sol deposits position the Vicuña district among the world’s largest undeveloped copper projects, with a staged path toward a final investment decision by the end of 2026. Speaking at the 35th BMO Global Metals, Mining & Critical Minerals Conference, Hochstein pointed to a recently released preliminary economic assessment outlining a $7.1 billion first-stage development centered on the fully permitted Jose Maria deposit, with total staged capital rising to roughly $11 billion. The project would represent the largest private investment in Argentina’s history. The district hosts combined resources of 38 million tonnes of copper, 81 million ounces of gold, and 1.4 billion ounces of silver, with a projected mine life exceeding 70 years. Hochstein said near-term priorities include advancing engineering to a Class 2 capital estimate, securing provincial agreements in San Juan, and progressing Argentina’s RIGI investment framework. “See this project through now to successful first copper,” he said, describing his mandate as delivering construction while optimizing future development phases across the broader Vicuña district.