Quercus opposes renewal of Panasqueira mine's environmental licence

Environmental group Quercus has come out against renewing the environmental licence of the Panasqueira mines in Beira Baixa, backing an unfavourable opinion by MiningWatch Portugal issued as the public consultation closed. The report points to gaps in geotechnical and seismic assessments of tailings dams, water treatment capacity during heavy rainfall, and failure scenarios. Quercus cites a January landslide into the Ribeira de Cebola, which suspended a water intake still not reactivated six months later. It warns of risks to water supplying Castelo de Bode reservoir, used by around three million people, and wants a binding closure and clean-up plan before any renewal.