March 10 (Reuters) - The Rio Tinto mining company RIO.AX, RIO.L announced its first commercial shipment of lithium carbonate produced at its Rincon project in Argentina's Salta province, marking the formal start of exports from this northern mine.

The shipment of 200 tons in 10 containers left the Port of Buenos Aires bound for Shanghai, China, where it will be received in a warehouse for subsequent distribution in Asian markets, the company said in a statement late Monday.

• Rincon project is expected to add an annual production capacity of 53,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate, starting in 2028 with 25,000 tons.

• "Argentina is central to the company's lithium strategy," the Anglo-Australian mining company said in a statement from the United States.

• The statement was published within the framework of the so-called "Argentina Week", a meeting of business leaders and officials in New York organized by President Javier Milei's government to attract investment.

• Lithium is a mineral in demand seen as essential for the energy transition.

BACKGROUND

• Rio Tinto has operated in Argentina for nearly 30 years through its Fenix project in Catamarca, and since 2014 in Jujuy with the Olaroz project, from which it already exports lithium.

• In February, the company applied to join the government's RIGI incentive scheme, which provides tax and legal benefits, with an investment of nearly $2.7 billion to build a new plant in Rincon.

• Argentina's mining exports totaled $6.037 billion in 2025 boosted by gold prices and by the start-up of lithium projects.

(Reporting by Lucila Sigal; Writing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; Editing by Cassandra Garrison)

((Aida.Pelaez-Fernandez@thomsonreuters.com;))