Portuguese Battery-Grade Lithium Projects Near the Galicia Border
By the end of May, the Portuguese Environment Agency gave green light to a lithium extraction project in Barroso, in the town of Boticas, positioned roughly 30 kilometers from Ourense. Earlier, in early September, Vigo Lighthouse, part of the Prensa Ibérica network, reported that Lusorecursos also obtained approval for its mine just about 15 kilometers from the Galicia border. The plan also contemplates refinery construction. Construction work could start in 2025, with exploitation expected to begin two years later, according to company disclosures. The company is currently under judicial review in a broad corruption case. The neighboring country’s prime minister faced resignation pressures tied to the investigation surrounding another political figure.
Both Savannah Resources and Lusorecursos operate in northern Portugal, within the Vila Real region, and are accelerating lithium extraction to support the growing demand for batteries used in electric vehicles.
In Boticas, the project foresees a facility to be established once the Environmental Impact Declaration is approved. A bit farther north, the Montalegre site includes an operation and a separate refinery, linked to a project known locally as the Roman Mine.
“The Environmental Agency has rendered the Mina do Romano project in the Montalegre municipality environmentally feasible by issuing a positive Environmental Impact Statement, provided the project adheres to a broad set of conditions,” one official noted regarding the agency’s assessment. Lusorecursos will need to relocate parts of the refinery, which is expected to undergo its own independent Environmental Impact Assessment process.
Regardless of the regulatory steps, Lusorecursos celebrated the milestone as a meaningful advancement for their lithium initiative and projected a total investment of about 650 million euros. The concession spans an area of roughly 825 hectares, a scale comparable to Savannah Resources’ footprint.
APA highlighted a socioeconomic package tied to the project, including the allocation of a majority share of operating costs (royalties) to the Montalegre municipality. In addition, the positive declaration requires clear plans for compensation to local communities and landowners, as well as strategies to mitigate or offset impacts on native fauna and flora, including species such as the Iberian wolf.
Analysts note that these developments reflect a broader trend of regional lithium development across northern Portugal, aimed at supporting European supply chains for electric mobility. Industry observers emphasize the importance of robust environmental safeguards, transparent community engagement, and long-term economic benefits for municipalities hosting mining activities. The projects are watched closely by policymakers and industry partners who seek to balance resource development with conservation and social stability, particularly in border regions where cross-border collaboration with Spain is a factor.