Savannah explained, in information sent to the markets, that it can restart fieldwork and the prospecting campaign, currently underway in the Covas do Barroso area, in the municipality of Boticas, after the issuance of a “reasoned resolution” by the Portuguese State in response to the precautionary measure, filed by land owners.

According to the company, in the arguments presented, the State considers “that any postponement of the execution of the administrative act contested in court is more onerous and seriously detrimental to the public interest, and its full effectiveness must be maintained.”

Savannah said the decision was effective immediately and work would resume “as soon as possible.”

On February 6th, the machines carrying out prospecting work for Savannah stopped as a result of a precautionary measure against the administrative easement issued by the Ministry of the Environment, which was filed with the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Mirandela.

The injunction was filed by owners of land covered by the administrative easement and who, two weeks ago, celebrated the stoppage of work.

The order admitting the measure suspended all work in the area.

Lusa has been trying to obtain a response from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, which has not been possible so far.

The Secretary of State for Energy, Maria João Pereira, issued an order, published on December 6 in the Official Gazette of the Union, which authorizes the establishment of an administrative easement, for a period of one year, which allows the company Savannah to access private land for lithium prospecting.

This decision was contested by affected property owners and mayors.

After the announcement of the administrative easement in December, the company Savannah Resources announced that it could “resume fieldwork and necessary drilling” for the definitive study (DFS) and the environmental compliance process of the Barroso lithium project, expecting to complete these stages in 2025.

The company plans to start production in 2027.

The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) has made lithium exploration at the Barroso mine environmentally viable by issuing a favourable Environmental Impact Statement (DIA) conditional on May 2023.