Boticas, Portugal, June 9, 2026 (Lusa) - Mining company Savannah said on Tuesday that the Administrative and Tax Court of Mirandela notified the company of an order temporarily suspending work related to lithium mining at the Barroso mine in Boticas, following an interim injunction.
“As anticipated, Savannah received notification from the Administrative and Tax Court of Mirandela of an order for the temporary suspension of the geotechnical work we have been carrying out, following the granting of an injunction,” reads a statement released by Savannah.
According to the company, the court delivered the notification “today [Tuesday]” and, in its view, the order “takes effect only from today”, which “confirms the legality of the company’s operations during last week’s work interruption”, commending the parties involved for their commitment to due process.
“Savannah views this action by the management of Baldio de Covas do Barroso and UDCB [United in Defence of Covas do Barroso] as another effort to postpone the development process of the Barroso Lithium Project; they have now submitted injunctions to the courts for the third time,” it adds.
It will now, “with confidence, await the outcome of the proceedings to assess the merits of the aforementioned injunction”, and promises to “resume work” as soon as the competent authorities authorise it, noting that the same happened last year.
On 1 June, the company said it was complying with the law because it had not been notified of any interim injunction.
In a statement at the time, the Board of Directors of the Baldios of the Parish of Covas do Barroso said that the Administrative and Tax Court of Mirandela had acknowledged the interim injunction filed on 27 May to “suspend the effects of the administrative easement and the works arising therefrom until its legality has been assessed”, adding that Savannah is “obliged to halt the works”.
According to the order of 29 May, the Assembly of Co-owners of the Communal Lands of the Parish of Covas do Barroso filed the interim injunction against the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, giving interested parties 10 days to respond.
The community of the common lands of Covas do Barroso believes that the “administrative easement allows the company to occupy communal and private land despite the wishes of the owners and co-owners, repeating a pattern of coercive imposition already denounced during the first administrative easement associated with the mining project”.
The Ministry of the Environment had already authorised a first easement in December 2024, which led to a landowners' injunction, suspending prospecting work for 15 days in February 2025.
The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) approved the mining project by issuing a conditional favourable Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 2023.
The company intends to start construction in 2027 and achieve first production in 2028.
SIF/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
