There are 2 major techniques of curing yerba maté in the world.
The first and most commonly commercially processed method is fire dried:
The smaller more boutique method of curing yerba maté is the tumble dried method:
Following the curing process of the yerba maté, the leaves are crushed and dried. At which the leaves are packaged into 20 kilo (44lb.) bags for storage in excess of 4 to 6 months in a clean dry location. Preferably shaded from the sun as well and at about 70 degrees. Many farms use a root cellar of sorts to achieve this goal.
Smoked yerba maté refers to the method of drying the plant cut and leaf cut of the yerba maté plant at harvest. This method of drying the leaves is old and more "traditional" stated by some of the first Europeans to visit N. Argentina.
Unsmoked yerba maté refers to the method of drying the plant cut and leaf cut of the harvested yerba maté. Unsmoked yerba maté is dried using a "tumble" technique and hot dry air blown on the leaves.