Breaking the Cartel: Atomico 3's Disruptive Mission in the Lithium Market with Pablo Rutigliano

Pablo Rutigliano explains Atómico 3's model for tokenizing mining assets, breaking monopolies, and democratizing lithium investment with transparency

Pablo Rutigliano, founder of Atómico 3 and president of the Latin American Chamber of Lithium, has established himself as a pioneer at the intersection of natural resources and blockchain technology. His project not only seeks to finance embryonic mining, but also challenges the foundations of a historically cartelized global market. Atómico 3 presents itself as the sacred spark to democratize a strategic resource, lithium, through a unique token that represents a new paradigm of transparent and traceable investment.

In this interview, Rutigliano breaks down the pillars of his innovative model: from the tokenization of mining assets in their earliest stages to the development of the Crypto Lithium Index, an oracle designed to combat price manipulation and project future demand. His vision is clear: to end the monopoly, raise the profile of lithium as an essential commodity for the energy transition, and offer concrete backing that builds confidence among investors and regulators alike.

Interview with Pablo Rutigliano

To begin with, Pablo, could you briefly tell us what Atómico 3 is and what makes it unique in the world of technology and natural resources?

Atómico 3 is a platform represented by a token called Atómico 3. And I want to make something fundamental clear: this token is not a negotiable security, because it does not meet the legal or technical characteristics to be determined as such.

From the outset, Atómico 3 was the first in the world to propose the tokenization of mining assets in the embryonic stage of a project. This makes us pioneers and unique, because we developed a model that combines stability with a critical index capable of setting a price that comes directly from international market quotes. This index also manages to link the projection of lithium demand, which is one of the factors that define future price formations.

Another aspect that sets us apart is that we always treat lithium as a commodity. While some forums debate whether lithium is really that important, we had already worked to give it visibility, highlighting its true contribution to the global energy transition. In doing so, we highlighted the need to end the monopolization of a strategic resource and paved the way for the true democratization of the global economy.

Ultimately, what makes Atómico 3 unique is that it managed to break into a globally cartelized market. It was, without a doubt, a checkmate to the monopoly.

Your blockchain tokenization technology promises traceability. How exactly does it work, and how do you ensure that each token is truly backed by a physical asset?

True tokenization allows this tool to achieve direct financing for mining concession owners and SMEs in the sector. This is key because mining in Argentina—and in much of the region—has historically been slow. For years, SMEs and embryonic projects ended up selling their assets to large corporations that monopolize the industry.

This is precisely where tokenization comes in: it breaks with this cartelization and the distortions that cause so much damage to societies. Our technology works as follows: projects in their early stages, certified projects, and those already in production can be financed with the support of blockchain.

This guarantees traceability in every document and every phase of the process. Within this same framework, the public and private sectors—that is, the state together with mining companies—can interact, link up, and accompany the development of a project from its initial stage to certification.

Once the economic reserve certifications under the mining inventory have been obtained, the process moves on to the production and commercialization of lithium carbonate. At that point, the token called Atómico 3 comes into play, evolving phase by phase, accompanying the entire production cycle until it reaches the end of its useful life.

The key point is that this token is not limited to being a digital representation: it is backed by specific rules, processes, and results, ensuring that all participants obtain proportional benefits, both in terms of risk and future results. I want to emphasize something essential: the way of tokenizing from the origin of a project is the true generator of the sacred spark.

That spark drives job creation, exchange, development, visibility, and the consolidation of a suitable ecosystem. It is a spark that not only opens up new opportunities but also ignites the digitalized economy that is already beginning to take shape as the immediate future.

In this way, the entire tokenized ecosystem comes to life: traceability, transparency, and backing are integrated into a single tool. That is what Atómico 3 represents: true innovation for tokenizing a mining asset, and in this specific case, lithium.

Could you explain the purpose and functioning of the Crypto Lithium Index that you have developed?

The Crypto Lithium Index was developed to provide greater transparency on the price of lithium carbonate under its own classification. In this way, the index takes the matrices that make up these structures and undoubtedly also allows visualization and alerts when it may be subject to price manipulation, which we warned about a few months ago and was confirmed by the US energy chief, who confirmed that China was manipulating the price of lithium carbonate.

In this way, the importance of the lithium crypto index is that it serves as an oracle for future prices fueled by future demand for electromobility, something that has been overlooked and has slowed down the energy transition. The Lithium Crypto Index works by calculating the price matrix formed by international markets and applying the appropriate coefficient formulas so that the projected demand for electromobility allows the price to be projected in the face of a speculative, monopolized, and cartelized market.

Without a doubt, the Lithium Crypto Index will make it possible to demonstrate and correct the errors and distortions that are affecting the international price of lithium.

They have faced skepticism regarding the backing of their tokens. What independent auditing and validation mechanisms do they have in place to build trust among investors and regulators?

The skepticism we have faced from certain regulators and the mining establishment is no coincidence. In reality, it stems from the fact that they do not want Atómico 3 to develop, because the emergence of our model puts an end to historical privileges. For years, regulatory frameworks in Argentina lacked real controls over mining companies' balance sheets. There is no effective monitoring of announced investments, much less are they integrated as capital contributions within the companies' financial statements and net worth.

In the face of this opacity, the tokenization and transparency proposed by Atómico 3 clearly expose a cartelized industry. And that is uncomfortable, because it lays bare what has been hidden for decades. That is precisely the disruption that our model brings.

At Atómico 3, scalability is built from the ground up, with full traceability at every stage of a mining project. This not only guarantees transparency in all processes, but also allows investment to be based on verifiable pillars, generating confidence. This level of openness is the basis for the true democratization of mining: everyone can be part of it, without opaque intermediaries or profits concentrated in the hands of a few.

It is true that some investors are still hesitant or even fearful, because this paradigm shift challenges established structures. But it is also true that the missing link will soon come to light: the importance of actively participating in this development.

And that is where the support of Atómico 3 is understood in its full dimension: as a model that combines technology, permanent auditing, transparency, and independent validation to open a new era in mining investment.

Looking ahead, beyond lithium, do you plan to apply your tokenization model to other natural resources in Argentina or the region?

Yes, of course. Tokenization is the real silent revolution that has already awakened, even though the mining caste and monopolization attempt to control it without understanding its real purposes.

At Atómico 3, we have several projects in the embryonic stage, including Atómico 29 (copper), as well as other initiatives that will further democratize the economy and, at the same time, expose the corruption that remains entrenched in mining today. Our model not only provides transparency and traceability, but also establishes clear rules that any government should take as a reference to restore credibility to investments and ensure that in Argentina, privileges built through lobbying finally come to an end.

If this structural change takes place, I have no doubt that Argentina will achieve the economic freedom it so desperately seeks and deserves. Ultimately, we all aspire to the same thing: a mining industry that is transparent, open, traceable, and at the service of development, not monopolies.