UK mining company Savannah Resources said on Wednesday that Portuguese authorities issued it a permit to build what will become western Europe's largest lithium mine, upon assessing the project's potential environmental impact as satisfactory
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st May, 2023) UK mining company Savannah Resources said on Wednesday that Portuguese authorities issued it a permit to build what will become western Europe's largest lithium mine, upon assessing the project's potential environmental impact as satisfactory.
"Savannah, the European Lithium Development company, is pleased to report that Agencia Portuguesa do Ambiente (APA), the Portuguese Environmental regulator, has issued a Positive Declaration of Environmental Impact (DIA) for Savannah's wholly owned Barroso Lithium Project in northern Portugal," the company stated.
Portugal is Europe's largest producer of lithium, which is mainly sold to ceramic companies. The country's ambition at the moment is to start producing lithium of higher quality, which is used in electric vehicles and electronic devices.
"We are delighted that APA has issued a positive DIA for the Barroso Lithium Project. This is an extremely important step forward, not only in the development of the Project, but also in the development of the lithium raw material industry in Portugal," Savannah CEO Dale Ferguson was quoted in the statement as saying.
However, lithium mining in Portugal faces powerful opposition from the environmentalists and local communities, who demand strengthened control and greater transparency of the projects.
Covas do Barroso is one of many lithium-rich regions in northern Portugal, and Savannah is already mining feldspar, quartz and pegmatite there.
