Environmental Threat

The mural above was painted by an artist in Covas do Barroso, which poignantly captures the threat they are facing. If the mines move forward, this beautiful and historic areas will be scarred by the environmental destruction of the mining process.

What impact will the mine have?

The two most common extraction techniques for lithium are surface mining ("open pit") and brine extraction (common in South America). The proposed mines in Barroso are open pit mines, which are particularly destructive. The process involves drilling deep into the earth using explosives to break up the rock. This is followed by roasting the rock at high heat, crushing and sulfuric acid leaching. These methods are energy and water-intensive producing enormous amounts of waste.

Negatives to the region include:

Destruction of landscape - the visual impact on the landscape will be devastating
Water resources diverted - this will directly impact livestock and agriculture over a wide area
Pollution of water resources - could permanently impact the viability of the areas
Pollution from mining waste - significant waste will be generated and waste storage adds additional risks
Air pollution - impact of direct mining efforts and forest removal will negatively impact air quality
Ecological balance - mining will likely disrupt the natural ecosystem impacting vegetation and wild life
Noise pollution from explosives - tranquility will be disrupted by repeated explosions related to mining process