Boticas, Portugal, Oct. 9, 2026 (Lusa) - Opponents of the mine in Covas do Barroso, Boticas, on Friday are blocking work by the company Savannah on land subject to an administrative easement, in protest against what they claim is «the imposition of the project».
The chairman of the association Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (UDCB), Nélson Gomes, told the Lusa news agency that the blockade aims to halt work in one of the areas under administrative easement and acknowledged that this is a necessary step to «escalate the resistance» in the face of a lack of responses and the «government's unwillingness to listen» to the population's demands.
In a telephone interview, he said around 30 local residents gathered this morning to stop Savannah Resources from continuing its work and emphasised that the «land, whether common land or privately owned, belongs to the local population».
In May, the Ministry of the Environment authorised a second administrative easement, allowing Savannah to enter communal and private land for geotechnical work; the Board of Trustees of the Communal Lands of the Parish of Covas do Barroso challenged this in court through an interim injunction, which led to the suspension of prospecting for around 20 days.
Nélson Gomes said it is «necessary to resist the project» and recalled that the fight against mining has been going on for almost 10 years, causing «great hardship» to those who oppose the mine.
«But we have always said that we will persevere; the struggle continues and is escalating further, because when the authorities do not respond to us, when they pay no heed to us, when the government completely ignores the population's concerns and the will of the people, it makes no sense,» he emphasised.
He added that this is a project «which jeopardises people's quality of life, the environment and our water supplies.
«Therefore, this project has everything going against it. We do not agree, we do not agree, we do not accept it,» he said.
The president of the UDCB highlighted the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), «authorities that should be overseeing the project and which are failing to answer the questions» that have been raised, particularly regarding the deforestation that took place outside the authorised period and the withdrawal of water from streams.
He stressed that this is happening «at a time when water is scarce», and when some streams have even dried up.
«The government isn't saying anything; it's keeping quiet (…). So we're being completely ignored. «The government should respect the population; it makes sense to do so. We are Portuguese just like everyone else; we have the same rights, so we have the right to defend what is ours,» he stressed, pointing out that this is a region classified as a World Agricultural Heritage Site and that «they are now allowing Savannah to transform this area.» He also pointed to «around 10 mining projects and prospecting applications in the Barroso region alone».
The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) approved the mining project in Covas do Barroso and issued a conditional favourable Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in 2023.
Savannah Resources intends to begin construction in 2027 and commence initial production in 2028.
PLI/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
