Argentina approves $2.5 billion Rio Tinto lithium mining project

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's government on Tuesday approved a $2.5 billion lithium mining project by Anglo-Australian giant Rio Tinto, marking the first mining project under a new investment incentive regime.

The approval of Rio Tinto's Rincon project under the RIGI incentive scheme was announced by the country's mining and energy coordination secretary Daniel Gonzalez at a conference in the capital Buenos Aires.

(Reporting by Lucila Sigal; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle)