Despite persistent local resistance and legal challenges, Savannah Resources continues to press ahead with its controversial open-pit lithium mine in Barroso, northern Portugal. The company announced the formation of a new advisory committee, composed of former Portuguese government ministers Luís Mira Amaral (PSD) and Luís Amado (PS), German supply chain specialist Astrid Karamira, and former EDM president Carlos Caxaria.
Savannah’s CEO Emanuel Proença stated that the committee’s role is to provide strategic guidance to ensure the “success and sustainability” of the Barroso lithium project, which is slated to begin production in 2027. The mine received a conditional Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 2023 and has been classified as a strategic project by the European Commission under the Critical Raw Materials Regulation.
However, opposition remains fierce. NGOs including Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (UDCB), MiningWatch Portugal, and ClientEarth have formally challenged the European Commission’s support, claiming the project’s environmental and social impacts were insufficiently assessed.
Savannah argues that the mine could supply enough lithium to power over half a million electric vehicle batteries annually — more than three times Portugal’s yearly vehicle sales. Nonetheless, the lack of a domestic refinery has drawn criticism, with the original plan for a lithium processing plant by GALP now abandoned and a new facility only projected for 2028.
