The Régimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones (RIGI) is Argentina's current flagship regulatory framework for attracting large-scale investment across mining, energy and infrastructure. For qualifying projects, RIGI offers tax, FX and customs advantages designed to compete with international peers. Frac sand mining projects in Mendoza and Neuquén can, depending on scale and structure, qualify under RIGI.
Per the public text of RIGI, qualifying Vehicles for Large Investment Projects (VPUs) benefit from: a reduced corporate income tax rate with progressive phase-in, accelerated depreciation, tax loss carry-forward extensions, VAT treatment on capital goods, and partial relaxation of FX controls for specific export flows.
| Incentive area | RIGI treatment (public text) | Applicability to frac sand |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate income tax | Reduced rate for VPUs | Applies to qualifying projects |
| FX controls | Relaxed for export flows | Relevant for USD-denominated supply contracts |
| Customs / import | Favourable capital goods treatment | Applies to processing plant equipment (e.g. CDE Global) |
| Legal stability | Up to 30 years | Underwrites long-term take-or-pay structures |
RIGI sets a minimum qualifying investment. Frac sand projects at scale (multi-Phase expansions, integrated mine-to-plant buildouts) can meet the threshold individually or through a vehicle consolidating several project stages.
The current In-Basin Sand Phase 1 (~US$450K) is below RIGI scale. However, subsequent phases — including the CDE Global 200 TPH wash plant (~US$6.8M CAPEX) and the full build-out toward multi-line capacity — are candidates for RIGI structuring depending on vehicle design and aggregated investment.
For bridge-round holders, RIGI applicability at later phases means future conversion events (Series A, strategic rounds) happen inside a more stable tax and FX framework. That reduces long-term country-risk exposure on converted equity.
RIGI is set out in the Ley de Bases (Law No. 27.742) and regulated by subsequent decrees. Investors reviewing the In-Basin Sand opportunity are encouraged to consult the current RIGI text with local counsel.
In-Basin Sand is running a €150,000 secured convertible bridge closing 29 April 2026. Public landing: https://inbasinsand.com