Communication from the City Council Current status of the Mina-Muga project:

Current status of the Mina-Muga project:
10 key questions
The Mina-Muga project continues to be a topic of interest for our town as it directly impacts its future development.
Below, we present a decalogue that summarises its current status in a simple and understandable way for all the neighbourhood.
1. What is the Mina-Muga project?It is a mining project aimed at extracting potash, mainly a mineral called sylvinite.
The mine is located in the municipalities of Undués de Lerda (Aragón) and Sangüesa (Navarra). It is developed by Geoalcali, a subsidiary of the Australian company Highfield Resources, and will occupy around 100 hectares of its surface.
2. Main figures of the project.
It is estimated that Mina-Muga will generate 800 jobs and attract an investment of around 700 million euros.
3. Economic impact for the Sangüesa City Council
The partial location of the mine on municipal land represents an estimated income of 9 million euros for Sangüesa:
Monetization of urban development (10% public): 3,506,015.79 eurosTax on Constructions,
Installations and Works (ICIO): 4,921,893.00 euros
Fair price for communal land: 400,000 eurosFee for use of the Public Utility Mountain:
pending assessment with the Government of Navarra
4. What happens with the pending income?
Currently, the company Geoalcali has appealed some of the amounts paid, which represents an economic risk of more than 4 million euros. However, the negotiations have allowed the litigation to be halted while an agreement is sought, with the exception of the ICIO for the power line, which has already been paid.
5. Judgment of the High Court of Justice of Navarre (TSJN).The TSJN has annulled the mining license of the Government of Navarre, which prevents the start of the exploitation of the lands in Navarre.
6. Reasons for the annulment.The suspension of the mining license granted to the Mina-Muga project is due to a judgment of the High Court of Justice of Navarre which considers that there has been a fragmentation of the project contrary to law. According to the judgment, the exploitation license was granted in a fragmented manner by three different administrations:Government of Aragon, for the part of the project located in its territory.Government of Navarre, for the part that affects the lands of Sangüesa.Spain, for the border lands between both autonomous communities.The Court points out that, as it is a single mining exploitation project that covers territories in two autonomous communities, it must be processed in a unified manner. This includes a single administrative procedure, a joint environmental assessment of the entire project and a single concession resolution, which meets all the necessary conditions for the exploitation and restoration of the affected lands. The ruling stresses that this administrative fragmentation violates the legal principles that govern the granting of mining licenses and the assessment of their environmental impact, which has led to the suspension of exploitation on the Sangüesa lands.
7. Does this mean the end of the project?No. The ruling can be appealed and, in addition, resolutions are still pending in Aragon and Madrid on the licenses granted in their respective jurisdictions. There is also the possibility of restarting the processing of the project under the terms indicated by the TSJN.
8. What role does the City Council have in this matter?The Sangüesa City Council does not have powers in the granting of mining licenses, since these correspond to the autonomous governments and the State.9. What consequences does this ruling have?The main effect is a delay in the execution of the project, since it cannot be started without a valid license.10. What is the position of the City Council?The Sangüesa City Council has kept the lawsuits on hold and is willing to negotiate with the company when required, with the conviction that the project can go ahead.
However, it will be firm in defending municipal interests and will demand the improvement of access to the town through a 2+1 road system that connects with the highway.This decalogue aims to offer clarity on a complex project that directly impacts Sangüesa and its future development.
Regards
Ignacio