Savannah announces Mina do Barroso EIA progress

The EIA will now progress to the next stages of the approval process, this being a public consultation and a detailed review by the APA’s Evaluation Committee, which take place simultaneously.

Highlights:

• Mina do Barroso has achieved another major milestone in its path to production, having received a declaration of conformity from the APA on the content of its EIA.
• The Mina do Barroso EIA includes a responsible and sustainable mine plan, related infrastructure, and spodumene processing facilities.
• Mina do Barroso will be developed in accordance with the world’s best environmental practices for the minerals production industry and will be an example of sustainability and innovation in the Portuguese and European mineral production sectors.
• The Mina do Barroso development plan is based on Savannah’s ‘Green and Smart Mining’ concept, with a strong focus on the efficient use of energy, materials and water, in order to reduce the environmental footprint of the life cycles of mineral-based products.
• The project’s design will involve the investment of over €15 million of initial capital costs into measures to either eliminate or reduce potential social and environmental impacts.
• The EIA contains detailed plans for the preservation of the region's fauna and flora.
• The project has the potential to contribute over €1.2 billion to Portuguese gross national product over the life of the operation.
• €110 million will be invested in developing the project locally, which will bring a series of benefits to the Boticas region and will create approximately 215 direct jobs and between 500 and 600 indirect jobs to support the project.

David Archer, Savannah’s Chief Executive Officer, comments:

“We are delighted with APA’s conclusion that the EIA for Mina do Barroso is in conformity with its content requirements. The EIA includes comprehensive proposals for our Community Benefit Sharing Plan and Good Neighbour Commitment, as well as detailed plans for how Savannah will sustainably manage energy, water, and material output at the mine. The objective of ‘Green and Smart Mining’ has always been a priority for Savannah in developing Mina do Barroso, and we now look forward to discussing the details of these community-focused plans along with the technical and environmental features of the project’s development, operation and rehabilitation, with all stakeholders as part of the ongoing EIA approval process.

“We expect Mina do Barroso to provide Europe with a strategically important local, long term and secure source of lithium raw materials. In September 2020, lithium was added to the European Commission’s list of critical raw materials reflecting both the importance of lithium battery technology in meeting the region’s long term climate goals, and the threat to raw material supply availability to the EU due to increased demand globally.

“Savannah is committed to developing and operating the Mina do Barroso Project in a responsible way while minimising the project’s impact on the local environment and maximising the opportunity it offers to stakeholders. The project is a vital part of the lithium battery value chain that will not only bring economic growth to the Iberian Peninsula, but also significant environmental benefits through a reduction in CO2 emissions driven by the electric vehicle revolution in addition to vastly improved living conditions for millions of Europeans via reductions in harmful air pollution.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/20042021/savannah-announces-mina-do-barroso-eia-progress/