A new public consultation concerning the expansion of the Barroso lithium mine opened on November 13, marking the latest flashpoint in a long-standing environmental dispute. The project, which has faced sustained opposition from local communities, is currently undergoing a “RECAPE” procedure—a review intended to confirm that the mine’s detailed design complies with the environmental approval granted in May 2023.
The residents’ association Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (UDCB) has flatly rejected the process, labeling it a “dead on arrival” attempt to retroactively validate a project they claim is fundamentally flawed. Nélson Gomes, president of UDCB, accused the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) of attempting to “whitewash” an environmental impact declaration that has already been challenged by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“Trying to use a compliance procedure to fix scientific shortcomings is an insult to the population,” Gomes said in a statement. The association maintains that the APA has adopted an “approve first, assess later” approach, deferring critical studies on water resources, air quality, and biodiversity to stages of the project that were supposed to be finalized long ago.
These concerns are backed by independent expert reviews cited by the UDCB. In terms of air quality, a report by specialist Dr. Douw G. Steyn questioned the reliance on only 14 days of particle measurement data, warning that the project lacks an adequate strategy to mitigate dust pollution. Furthermore, geophysics and hydrology specialist Dr. Steven H. Emerman has previously warned that the mine’s proposed waste storage facility—slated to reach 140 meters in height—carries risks of slope instability and liquefaction, which could potentially contaminate the River Covas in the event of a failure.
The project’s impact on local water supplies remains one of the most contentious issues. According to recent reports, studies suggest that pumping water from the mine’s open pits will cause water levels in nearby springs to drop by as much as 52 centimeters. Recovery is estimated to take years, or even decades, following the conclusion of mining activities. Furthermore, critics note that existing groundwater models fail to account for drought conditions, and that water seepage from mining waste could threaten local water quality.
The legal landscape surrounding the mine is equally complex. The May 2023 approval is currently under challenge in the Administrative and Tax Court of Mirandela, with the Public Prosecutor’s Office reportedly supporting the annulment of the permit due to insufficient risk assessments. Additionally, the UDCB has cited findings from the United Nations Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, which has highlighted Portugal’s failure to uphold citizens’ rights to information and participation in the approval process.
Beyond the environmental technicalities, the UDCB has denounced the use of administrative powers to force access to private and common land despite the clear opposition of local owners. The project is further complicated by its designation as a “European Strategic Project,” a status that simplifies administrative hurdles but is currently being contested before the EU’s General Court.
The proposed expansion involves a 15-year operational period, a 13.4% increase in waste rock storage, and nearly double the footprint for water management infrastructure. With the consultation period set to end on December 4, anti-mining groups are urging the public to submit formal objections. As of today, the consultation has already drawn significant engagement, with over 2,000 participations recorded.
As the debate intensifies, it underscores a deeper question posed by critics: whether the long-term ecological destruction of the Barroso landscape can be justified by the temporary extraction of lithium. For now, the future of the region remains locked in a battle between industrial ambitions and the preservation of local livelihoods and natural resources.
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