London-listed Savannah Resources has secured temporary land access to a significant portion of its future lithium mining site in northern Portugal, allowing the company to begin the second phase of drilling and fieldwork..
Savannah, which aims to supply lithium for Europe’s electric vehicle (EV) sector from its Barroso project, is likely to face continued resistance from locals and environmental groups. Protests, legal challenges, and refusals to sell land are expected as the company moves forward. The Barroso deposit, containing spodumene— a lithium-bearing mineral— is considered the largest in Europe, with estimated reserves of 28 million metric tons of high-grade lithium, crucial for EV batteries. To develop the project, Savannah needs approximately 840 hectares for its four-mine operation, but as of September 2023, it had secured or was in the process of acquiring only 93 hectares.
Earlier this year, Savannah reported having acquired over 100 plots, though it remains unclear how many hectares this represents. The land required for the project is divided into private and communal ownership, with private owners holding around 24% and the remaining 75% comprising “baldios,” or common land.
If necessary, Savannah has indicated it would request the Portuguese government to authorize compulsory land acquisitions for public interest.
On Thursday, the company announced that it had received government approval to access the C-100 mining lease, which covers more than 520 hectares of land, for one year. Savannah stated that all relevant stakeholders and landowners had been notified, over half of the compensation fees had already been paid, and the required notice had been published in the official government gazette.
Despite this progress, local resistance continues. The United in Defence of Covas do Barroso association, which opposes the mining project, condemned the decision, arguing that the common land belongs to the local population and that some of it is used for farming, which could be jeopardized by the mining operations. The group also criticized the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology, claiming it was serving private interests rather than addressing the concerns of the local community.
