Yacimientos Carboníferos Río Turbio signed a contract to sell 210,000 tonnes of coal to the United States company Energy Commodity. The operation will be carried out through seven shipments and opens a period of greater predictability for Santa Cruz's mining and logistics activity.
YCRT administrator Pablo Gordillo said the company secured favourable commercial terms, with loading windows it believes it can meet and deadlines of roughly three months. The agreement also raised the price by between 3 and 4 dollars per tonne for both fine and coarse coal.
Gordillo said the contract would sustain activity, revenue and commitments linked to the 2026 budget. He added that the main obstacle remains transporting the coal to Punta Loyola.
The company currently has one operational locomotive and another undergoing repairs. To meet the schedule, it estimates that three to four rail trips per week will be required.
The railway equipment dates from the 1970s and uses a 0.75-metre gauge that is now almost obsolete internationally. YCRT has begun a preliminary assessment of widening the gauge to one metre, although this would require a long-term civil engineering project.
The provincial government offered financial support for the purchase of a new locomotive. At the same time, YCRT management is holding talks with unions to optimise mining production, coal cleaning, transport and operations at Loyola.
The company also reported improvements in energy efficiency. Reactivating the power plant in April reduced payments to CAMMESA by 40% and generated savings of nearly 60 million pesos over three months.
YCRT already has 15,000 tonnes of fine coal in stock, equivalent to half a shipload. The start of shipments will depend on locomotive repairs and the company's ability to maintain the promised logistics pace.
