The rise of lithium as an essential raw material for battery manufacturing and the energy transition has brought several mining projects on the Iberian Peninsula into sharp focus. In recent years, media and public attention to these deposits, especially in northern Portugal, Galicia, and Cáceres, has steadily increased. Lithium extraction projects in these regions have generated intense debates between those who see them as an economic opportunity and those who warn of their potential environmental and social consequences.
Lithium is considered one of the key minerals for the immediate future, as its use in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and electronic devices is generating increasing demand worldwide. However, the expansion of large-scale mining operations in rural and protected areas of Spain and Portugal is creating a real divide between developers, authorities, environmental groups, and local residents.
Savannah Resources' project on the border between Galicia and Portugal
In the Portuguese municipality of Boticas , very close to the border with Galicia, Savannah Resources , together with the Dutch mining company AMG, is planning what would be the largest lithium extraction complex in Western Europe. This initiative involves an investment of approximately €204 million and the exploitation of four deposits to extract roughly 1,5 million tons of minerals over 14 years, with enough capacity to supply the batteries of around half a million electric vehicles annually.
The scale of the project has provoked a strong social response in the Portuguese region of Barroso and in the neighboring Galician municipalities. In recent weeks, neighborhood protests have even escalated into acts of vandalism against the company's facilities, including attacks on vehicles and graffiti bearing the slogan "No to the mine." Local residents, supported by environmental organizations, denounce the potential negative impact on the environment , water resources, and rural life.
For its part, the company maintains that it has all the initial permits, including the favorable environmental impact statement obtained in 2023. The next step is to obtain the final environmental license from the Portuguese Environment Agency and secure the remaining necessary authorizations, such as electrical connectivity and water supply.
It is worth remembering that this project has been considered strategic by the European Commission under the Critical Raw Materials Act, given the growing geopolitical interest in independence in the supply of essential minerals for the European technology and automotive industry.
However, the progress of the process does not exempt the company from the pending challenges: acquiring the necessary land—it currently controls less than half—and overcoming social and political resistance. A particularly delicate episode was the temporary suspension of the project following complaints from several affected landowners and the subsequent court ruling that prioritized the public interest.
The Las Navas lithium mine in Cáceres and the environmental challenge
In Cáceres , the Las Navas mining project , located in the municipality of Cañaveral, has also been identified as strategic by the European Commission. The Regional Government of Extremadura has designated it a PREMIA project, which entails priority processing in administrative procedures, access to employment subsidies, and the possibility of compulsory land acquisition if necessary.
The institutional push, however, contrasts sharply with the strong opposition from environmental groups and sectors of civil society. They denounce the mine for failing to meet established environmental requirements , both in terms of protecting water resources and addressing pollution and the conservation of endangered species. According to these groups, the project could have a serious impact on rivers, aquifers, and protected areas near the Canchos de Ramiro and Sierra Ladronera Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) , putting emblematic birds such as Bonelli's eagle, Egyptian vulture, and black stork at risk.
The plan not only involves the occupation of large areas of land, but also the construction of processing plants that will emit polluting gases and create toxic sludge ponds . In addition to concerns about air and water quality, there is also worry about the impact on regional biodiversity, as the area is home to meadows and streams vital to protected wildlife.
The environmental movement is demanding a rigorous environmental assessment from the authorities and a guarantee that the mine will not be authorized if the protection of biodiversity and the well-being of the local population cannot be assured. They maintain that the development of industries associated with the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles should not come at the expense of natural resources or environmental health.
Lithium, politics and the debate on the development model
Lithium mining in Spain and Portugal is at the heart of a much broader debate: how to reconcile the need to reduce carbon emissions and promote electric mobility with the protection of rural environments and vulnerable ecosystems? Public administrations insist on the strategic importance of these projects for Europe, while opponents demand greater transparency, citizen participation, and sustainable alternatives that respect the balance between development and environmental impact.
Furthermore, the political situation adds further complexity, as the advancement or suspension of lithium projects has been linked to government crises, legal challenges, and regulatory changes in both Spain and Portugal. In some cases, the authorization of administrative easements, which allow companies to access private land, has caused tensions and growing social rejection.
Therefore, the future of lithium mining in the Iberian Peninsula will depend not only on the technical and economic viability of the projects, but also on their ability to reconcile conflicting interests and meet the highest environmental and social standards.
The growing importance of lithium highlights the tension between the need to move toward a cleaner energy model and legitimate concerns for natural heritage and rural areas. The outcome of the Boticas and Las Navas projects will serve as a benchmark for future mining initiatives both in Spain and the rest of Europe.
