ZERO says new Aljustrel copper mine should be rejected

Environmental association ZERO has concluded that the Environmental Impact Study for the new Gavião underground mine in Aljustrel, promoted by ALMINA with an investment of about €250 million, fails to meet the conditions for approval. ZERO criticises the plan to transport concentrates by truck to Setúbal and Huelva instead of assessing a rail alternative, despite Aljustrel's decades-long history of rail transport. It also flags gaps in waste storage capacity from 2033 onwards, inconsistent climate emission data, and the lack of a strategy to add industrial value in Portugal rather than simply exporting raw concentrates.