“We have made good progress on all fronts in the first half of the year. It is now time to begin, with enthusiasm, but also with a sense of responsibility, the fieldwork necessary to complete the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) and the environmental licensing process,” said Savannah's CEO, Emanuel Proença, quoted in a statement consulted by Lusa.

The company that wants to explore the lithium mine in Covas do Barroso, in the municipality of Boticas, district of Vila Real, explained that the “bureaucratic process for completing the administrative easement process, unfortunately, took longer than expected, which required an adjustment to the schedule”.

Therefore, it now expects to complete the Final Feasibility Study in the second half of 2025, with the conclusion of the environmental licensing process scheduled for an early date, and, it added, “the commissioning and first production of the project will take place as soon as possible in 2027”.

The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) has made lithium mining at the Barroso mine environmentally viable by issuing a favourable Environmental Impact Statement (DIA) on 31 May 2023, which includes a wide range of conditions, with production initially scheduled to start in 2026.

“It has always been our wish to be able to conclude purchase or lease agreements with all owners within a timeframe that would have allowed this phase of work to begin earlier. However, although we have already acquired over a hundred plots of land and continue to acquire more, it has not yet been possible to reach an agreement with all parties”, stated Emanuel Proença.

For this reason, he added that the company resorted to “the temporary administrative easement to access the land, a common process in industrial projects” such as this one.

“We remain committed to continuing land purchases and leases through amicable agreements with all relevant stakeholders so that any future expropriation covers the minimum possible amount of land,” he pointed out.

On Monday, Savannah presented its operating results for the first six months of the year.

“The results presented reflect the intense work of all members of the Savannah team – from the teams in Boticas, Lisbon, Perth and London – to develop a high-quality project. At a local level, we are increasingly present, growing our team and working with more and more people and entities in the region of which we are a part,” added the CEO.

In June, Savannah established a strategic partnership agreement with the AMG Critical Materials (AMG) group, owner of Europe’s first large lithium refinery, opened less than 15 days ago south of Berlin, Germany.

“The partnership agreement with AMG puts us in a solid position, allowing us to face the next phases of the project with solidity and confidence. I am grateful for these results and for the efforts of so many. We are committed to doing even better, and we are ready to welcome positive contributions from everyone”, he stressed.

Savannah Resources is a mineral resources development company and the sole owner of the Barroso lithium project, in the North of Portugal, stating that this is the largest lithium spodumene resource identified to date in Europe, and that it has focused its efforts there for the last seven years.

However, the mining operation is contested by mayors and local people who have joined forces in the association Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (UDCB).