The Iberian Mining Observatory has identified more than a hundred mining sites in Spain that appear to infringe on social and environmental rights. This figure likely undercounts the scope of the problem, the organization notes, with around 400 farms still awaiting examination.
The Observatory was launched about a year ago to document potential social and environmental rights violations linked to mining activities in Spain and Portugal, and to publish the available evidence on each case.
Ecologistas en Acción, a partner in the initiative, stated that, through joint research by dozens of groups, they have georeferenced more than 100 cases that reveal the magnitude of the issue.
Mercedes Mine in Valencia — a site cited by the project — appears in the Observatory’s records as part of the landscape of mining activity under scrutiny.
The Observatory tracks a broad range of concerns, including attacks, threats, or intimidation against activists; covert activities conducted without proper authorizations or environmental impact assessments; and mines that violate workers’ rights.
Andalusia and Galicia lead the counts
The data indicate that many of these mines are in protected areas near towns, where health issues and environmental harm from dust emissions or water pollution have been observed, according to the Observatory.
The initiative has documented a larger body of violations so far, including around 400 environmental violations such as spills, dust-related pollution, or damage to cultural assets; and nearly 300 violations tied to missing authority, illegal permits, restoration failures, financial guarantees, or administrative corruption.
Andalusia reports 24 enterprises and Galicia 21 as the regions with the highest numbers of documented illegal mining operations. Observatory sources point to weak oversight by managing bodies as a driver of these practices, creating an atmosphere of widespread impunity.
Sallent Mines in Barcelona is another site noted in the record.
Coordinator Joám Evans explains that the statement is just the tip of the iceberg, with about 400 cases still waiting to be documented. He also notes that citizen groups in regions unfamiliar with the issue have joined forces in recent months to broaden the scope of monitoring.
Evans adds that illegal mining is more widespread than publicly acknowledged, and that both industry and governments cling to a myth of responsible and sustainable mining. The Observatory emphasizes the importance of independent, citizen-led oversight in exposing and curbing such practices.
The Iberian Mining Observatory operates as an environmental citizenship initiative involving roughly thirty groups, with support from the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030. Its Monitoring and Early Warning System is designed to detect, map, and report violations and questionable practices, helping to enforce environmental rights and balance the scales between affected communities and the mining sector.
Beyond auditing and monitoring public administrations, the project also aims to raise awareness about the impacts of mining and to foster informed public discussion around these issues.
Detailed information from the report will be shared during the Iberian Meeting on the social and environmental impacts of mining, scheduled from October 12 to 15 in Extremadura. The region has seen a surge in new mining projects, including lithium mines in Cáceres and Cañaveral, the Aguablanca nickel mine, and the Alconchel copper and gold mine.
Map and file for each mine are available in the project portal, which hosts the central database for reference and accountability.
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For those seeking more context, the environmental department’s contact channel has been established to provide updates and verification of findings.