Locals block Savannah's geotechnical work at Barroso lithium site again

Around 30 residents again blocked geotechnical work on common land at the planned Barroso lithium mine in Boticas, within an easement the Environment Ministry granted British firm Savannah Resources in May. Savannah said no work was scheduled at that site but that work continues elsewhere. Protesters, many of them elderly landowners, fear damage to water, farmland and village life. The association behind the blockades says they will go on as long as needed. Savannah aims to start construction in 2027, with production in 2028, while the European Commission may reassess the project's strategic status.