Opposition to the opening of the Montalegre lithium mine Four...

Opposition to the opening of the Montalegre lithium mine

Four villages of the "ray" oppose the project, which has just been authorized by the Portuguese government


A truck with machinery in the place where it is planned to open the mouth of the mine.

A truck with machinery in the place where it is planned to open the mouth of the mine.

EDITORIAL | OURENSE15 / 04/2019 07:46 H.

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The lithium mine that the company Lusorecursos plans to open with a project known as Sepeda-Morgade, in Montalegre (Portugal), just 15 kilometers from the border with Ourense, has found a strong opponent. The residents of Morgade, Reoboredo and Carvalhais - all belonging to Montalegre - refuse the extraction of lithium, demanded for electric batteries.


Neighbors, who have so far had no voice in this project, have held several assemblies in the last week (the Portuguese government has just authorized the extraction of lithium) and the agreement in all of them was unanimous: "No, under no circumstances , the blade".


The lithium reserve in the area was already known as the largest in Europe. It is located between the villages of Morgade, Reboredo and Carvalhais, although much closer to the latter. In the three villages there are 160 families, which are mainly engaged in agriculture and livestock. All of them are aware of the project Lusorecursos, which causes them to monitor the movements in the area. "We distrust everything," says the treasurer of the Council of wastelands (equivalent in Spain to association of forests in common hand), Jose Manuel Seara. He wondered why the project "is called Sepeda-Morgade. The mountain where the mine is called Fiegueiro or Romano belongs to Carvalhais." The neighborhood opposes arguing the pollution. "In these towns we live in peace and quiet," said another neighbor, Antonio Silva.




The president of the Municipal Council of Montalegre, Orlando Álves, assures that the mine would generate jobs and could be an important project. "But it's still not known how it's going to be. It's all a little dark," he said, recalling that he is waiting for Lusorecursos, once the authorization is granted, to present the environmental impact project.


The project affects 825.4 hectares. The Portuguese government authorized it last day 11. The Directorate General of Energy and Geology gave a one-month place to present allegations.


500 million and 300 jobs


Lusorecursos obtained the authorization to extract the lithium after a judicial fight during the last two years with another Australian company, Novo Litio and previously Dakota Minerals, to which it had granted the concessions to him to realize prospections.


The head of Lusorecursos, Ricardo Pinheiro, assures that the project goes through the exploitation, transformation and exploitation of lithium. It figures the investment in 500 million euros, which, according to its calculations, would serve to create 300 jobs.


The company plans to explain its plans to the neighbors, which, he says, will be the first beneficiaries.


The mine, if open, would be just two kilometers from the Alto Rabagão reservoir, the largest in the Iberian Peninsula, which is being used to produce energy, human consumption and sports activities.


José Manuel Seara, neighbor: "El monte is from Carvalhais and no mine will open"


The treasurer of the communal association of Carvalhais, José Manuel Seara, stresses that the mountain "is owned by Carvalhais and no mine will be opened. We will not allow the town where we were born because of economic progress to disappear," he laments, emphasizing that during the surveys "there was only dust in the houses, we could not air the clothes, the mine would be a cancer and we do not plan to negotiate, change our position".


Orlando Alves: "The project could be good, but I still do not know it"


The president of the House of Montalegre, Orlando Álves, is attentive to all the steps that Lusorecursos gives. "The project could be good, but I still do not know it. There is talk of an investment of 500 million but I still do not know that data, nor the jobs that will be created," he said. He argues that he will take all measures "to avoid any kind of pollution" .n