(Corrects company name to Antofalla Minerals in paragraph 6,(not Antofagasta Minerals))By Cassandra GarrisonBUENOS AIRES, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Argentina's oppositioncandidate Alberto Fernandez met with mining companies on Mondayin capital Buenos Aires to discuss his plans for the sector, twosources who attended the meeting said.Fernandez, the front-runner for October's presidentialelection, told the companies that his team has been working on aplan to benefit the Vaca Muerta shale oil play and the country'smining sector, that produces copper, lithium, gold, and silver,one of the sources added.
Fernandez also said he wanted to promote the flow of dollarsinto Argentina, without putting controls on taking money out,the source said, adding that his comments were "reassuring.""If I do my job right, companies will want to keep theirmoney in Argentina," Fernandez said.
A spokesperson for Fernandez said he did not haveinformation about the meeting.
Representatives from companies including Glencore Plc , Antofalla Minerals, Posco and GalaxyLithium America, attended the meeting, the sources said. Someprovincial government officials were also present.The mining companies opened the meeting, attended by between30 and 40 people in a hotel in downtown Buenos Aires, withremarks directed to Fernandez, asking for continuity in thesector, ease in importing equipment and taking money out of thecountry, the source said.
For his part, Fernandez said his goal was to ensurecontinuity in the sector for 10 years, and added that miningregulation would continue at the provincial level.
He said he considered mining an opportunity, rather than aproblem, and vowed not to be an obstacle to the sector.The comments were some of the strongest signals yet byFernandez on his plans for the sector amid investor concerns hisgovernment, if elected, could revert to the interventionistpolicies of former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, whois now his vice presidential running mate.Mining investments plummeted when Fernandez de Kirchner, whogoverned Argentina from 2007-2015, imposed a 5% tax on miningexports and banned companies from sending profits to foreignheadquarters.Free-markets proponent President Mauricio Macri ditchedtrade and currency controls, including the 5% tax on miningexports, but later introduced a tax across all exports as partof the fiscal goals under the $57-billion IMF standby agreement.
(Reporting by Cassandra Garrison)