MINEX Forum

Tag: spodumene

  • Savannah Resources Targets 50-Year Mine Life at Europe’s Largest Lithium Deposit as Portugal Project Accelerates Toward 2028 Production

    Savannah Resources Targets 50-Year Mine Life at Europe’s Largest Lithium Deposit as Portugal Project Accelerates Toward 2028 Production

    London-listed Savannah Resources is pressing ahead with its Barroso lithium project in northern Portugal with growing confidence that the deposit — already Europe’s largest — can compete globally and become a meaningful contributor to reducing the continent’s dependence on Chinese lithium supply.

    Speaking to Reuters on Tuesday, Chief Executive Emanuel Proença said work had “accelerated in recent months on all fronts,” pointing to advances in engineering studies, progress on environmental requirements and preparations for project financing ahead of a final investment decision expected by the end of this year. Construction is planned for 2027, with first production targeted in 2028.

    Confirmed resources at the Barroso spodumene deposit were upgraded in September to over 39 million metric tonnes, up from 28 million metric tonnes. Proença said potential resource extensions of between 35 million and 62 million metric tonnes could push the total above 100 million metric tonnes, more than doubling the mine’s projected operational lifespan to over 50 years. The company has also received a €110 million grant from the Portuguese government, which Proença described as “a positive step” in the project’s financial development.

    On competitiveness, Proença said Barroso could break even at $600 per tonne of spodumene concentrate — a level he said would allow it “to compete with the majors” — at a time when spodumene shipped to China is trading above $2,000 per tonne. The project’s proximity to European refineries was cited as a further structural advantage, reducing logistical costs and supply chain exposure to China.

    Europe’s push to build domestic lithium extraction and refining capacity remains constrained, and Barroso is widely regarded as one of the continent’s best near-term prospects for closing that gap. However, the project has faced local community opposition since Barroso was designated a World Heritage agricultural site in 2018. Proença acknowledged the tension but said resistance was “gradually decreasing” as the company increases local hiring and intensifies engagement with surrounding communities.

  • Savannah Resources Pushes Back on Claims Portugal Withheld Barroso Mine Data

    Savannah Resources Pushes Back on Claims Portugal Withheld Barroso Mine Data

    Savannah Resources (LON: SAV) is pushing back against media reports that a United Nations committee has accused Portuguese authorities of violating international law during the approval process for the company’s Barroso lithium project.

    In a statement to MINING.COM, Savannah’s Communications Manager António Neves Costa said that two of the public bodies named in the UN document have clarified their positions, stating that no step of the licensing process was carried out in violation of Portuguese law.

    The clarifications follow a report by the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, which alleged that Portugal failed to guarantee citizens’ rights to environmental information and participation during the project’s licensing process.

    The Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) said the Barroso project underwent the longest public consultation period ever granted to an industrial project in the country, spanning more than 110 days. The Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N) also rejected the suggestion that it withheld information, stating that all documents were made available in line with national law.

    According to Reuters, the UN committee’s findings have reinforced calls from local residents and environmental groups for the project’s license to be revoked. The APA, while noting a “divergent interpretation” of the Convention, maintains that it acted in strict compliance with administrative procedures.

    Savannah Resources is seeking to develop what it calls Western Europe’s largest mine of spodumene, a hard-rock form of lithium. The company plans to build four open-pit mines in northern Portugal, with the goal of producing enough lithium annually for 500,000 to one million electric vehicle batteries. First output is slated for 2027.