PORTUGAL Trends and Developments Contributed by: Manuel Protásio and Catarina Coimbra, VdA
Vieira de Almeida e Associados Rua Dom Luis I, 28 1200-151 Lisboa Portugal Tel: +35 121 311 3400
Email: fvda@vda.pt Web: www.vda.pt
Portugal has long been recognised for its rich mineral resources (particularly tungsten, primar - ily found at the Panasqueira mine, copper and uranium), which have historically played a sig - nificant role in the country’s economy. In recent years, developments in Portugal’s mining sector have positioned the country as a key player in One of the most prominent trends in the Por - tuguese mining sector is a growing interest in lithium exploration, as well as other activities in the lithium value chain. Portugal is home to some of Europe’s largest lithium deposits, which are located in the districts of Vila Real, Guarda and Castelo Branco. The increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries, driven by the expansion of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems, puts Portugal firmly on the map as a potential leading supplier of this critical mineral, which could reduce Europe’s dependence on imported raw materials and promote local green technologies. As part of its Critical Raw Mate - rials Act, the EU Commission stipulated that, by 2030, at least 10% of Europe’s demand for critical raw materials such as lithium should be met using domestic supplies. Portuguese min - the global mining industry. Growing Interest in Lithium
ing companies have received approval for lithi - um projects in areas such as Barroso, Romano, Alvarrões, and Argemela. Further requests for exploration are pending in other areas of the country. Several international companies are actively exploring and developing lithium mining projects in Portugal. A flourishing lithium mining indus - try could contribute significantly to the national economy by creating jobs, attracting internation - al investment, and promoting regional expan - sion. Furthermore, the establishment of a robust lithium supply chain within Europe aligns with the EU’s strategic objective of achieving tech - nological sovereignty in key industries, includ - ing battery manufacturing. The development of downstream lithium processing facilities is crucial for adding value to raw lithium resources and supporting the EU’s goals for a sustainable battery supply chain. Portugal is making strides in this direction, with several initiatives aimed at setting up lithium conversion plants. The main lithium projects in Portugal are as fol - lows.
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