According to Mining Weekly, London-listed Savannah Resources announced on Monday that supplementary exploration has boosted the measured and indicated mineral resource at its Barroso lithium project in northern Portugal by 40%.

In a corporate update, the company reported that the Barroso spodumene deposit now contains 39 million tonnes of ore, up from the previous estimate of 28 million tonnes—already recognized as Europe’s largest known spodumene resource.

Savannah stated that this “significant resource upgrade” enhances the project’s strategic importance, calling it “a major contribution to the European battery raw materials value chain” and a source of “substantial long-term value for the local region.”

The company plans to develop four open-pit mines at Barroso, with production capacity sufficient to supply battery-grade lithium for approximately 500,000 electric vehicles annually. Commercial operations are targeted to begin in 2027.

This advancement is particularly significant for Europe’s efforts to reduce reliance on imported lithium and other critical minerals essential for the transition away from fossil fuels.

However, the project faces strong opposition from local communities and environmental groups, as the Barroso region is designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Critics argue that mining would threaten the area’s ecological and cultural integrity.

Barroso is Savannah’s sole development asset, and the company is working to complete the final feasibility study and submit its final environmental permit application by the end of 2025.

(Source: Mining Weekly)