End in sight? Hopefully...
http://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/empr...o-litio-e-uma-especie-de-faroeste-diz-autarca
Conflict between Lusorecursos and New Lithium "is a species of western", says autarch
Despite the differences between the two companies around Sepeda's prospecting licenses, Montalegre, the local mayor believes that investment in the region will happen. And that the Government will defend the public interest.
Paulo Zacarias Gomes [email protected] September 22, 2017 at 5:34 PM
The mayor of Montalegre says that both companies involved in the prospecting of lithium in that municipality - Lusorecursos and Novo Litio, which are in dispute over rights over the ownership of the licenses - guarantee the realization of investments in the region. But that the divergences turned the land of the concession into a kind of "western".
"It's kind of a western one, everyone has their security, all we have to do is build a wall," Orlando Alves told the Business this Friday, September 22, the day that representatives of Lusorecursos, Directorate-General for Energy and Geology, the association of barrios, the parish council and the National Republican Guard (GNR) with the Sepeda concession, Montalegre on the table.
Since the middle of this year, a dispute has arisen between the Portuguese and Australian companies on the current and future rights of prospecting and exploration licenses in Montalegre, where the presence of lithium has been identified and a possible investment is contemplated for its application in the manufacture of batteries.
The divergence precipitated New Lithium's appeal to Portuguese courts and this week led to the intervention of the GNR, which was called to identify private security guards allegedly hired by New Lithium to deter people from entering the concession lands.
A decision that is defended by this Australian company as a way to " protect the people and equipment that are working there", although the State only recognizes Lusorecursos as its only interlocutor, since it is with this company that the contract was signed.
Nevertheless, the montalegrense autarchist remains optimistic about the investments made in the area of lithium extraction and transformation in the region (New Lithium even announced the possibility of creating 200 jobs in the establishment of a factory valued between 200 and 400 million dollars), saying that the two companies are still betting on the region.
"The government must defend the public interest and will not let this opportunity be lost for the country and the municipality of Montalegre," said Orlando Alves. "They guarantee this capacity, they say they have deep know-how and capital.
The exploration license is valid until December 7, after which Lusorecursos will have to request the granting of an exploration concession or a definitive exploration concession, the Government made clear in early September.
"Lusorecursos says it is going to present it and they have been working with elements made known by the New Lithium before entering this period of cut of relations.And Lusorecursos is also with prospecting works to document the report [required for the new license ], "added the president of the municipality.
About the conclusions of the meeting between the parties today at the premises of the Chamber, the mayor says he has not had "still 'feedback', I do not have any information."
(20min delay)