Savannah says Portugal gives 環境の green light for lithium 地雷
By Catarina Demony
LISBON, May 31 (Reuters) - 採掘 company Savannah 資源s said on Wednesday Portuguese 当局 had 認可するd its 環境の 衝撃 査定／評価 (EIA) for what could become Western Europe's largest lithium 地雷, calling the step a "major milestone" for the 事業／計画（する）.
London-based Savannah received 予選 是認 for the EIA for its Barroso open-炭坑，オーケストラ席 地雷 from Portugal's APA 環境 regulator in 2021, but had to make changes 需要・要求するd by the 当局 and resubmitted it earlier this year.
APA had 50 商売／仕事 days to review it and 問題／発行する a 決定／判定勝ち（する）, known as a DIA. The 環境 省, which 監督するs the APA, did not すぐに 答える／応じる to a request for comment.
Savannah CEO Dale Ferguson said new changes associated with the DIA 含む 限界ing the 除去 of vegetation from the 事業／計画（する） area, not taking water from a nearby river and carrying out landscaping once the extraction has ended.
"This 代表するs a major milestone for the 事業／計画（する）," the company said in a 声明.
Portugal is Europe's biggest lithium 生産者, but its 鉱夫s sell almost 排他的に to the ceramics 産業 and are only now 準備するing to produce the higher-grade lithium that is used in electric cars and to 力／強力にする electronic 器具s.
Savannah has said its 地雷 could be at the centre of Europe's lithium value chain.
However, lithium 事業／計画（する）s in Portugal 直面する strong 対立 from 環境保護主義者s and 地元の communities, who are 需要・要求するing stronger 規則 and more transparency.
Barroso, a world 遺産 場所／位置 for 農業, is one of many lithium-rich areas in northern Portugal and Savannah already 地雷s feldspar, quartz a nd pegmatites in the 山地の 地域.
A 肯定的な DIA 許すs the company to 進歩 to the next 行う／開催する／段階s of the 過程, 含むing the 出版（物） of a new 範囲ing 熟考する／考慮する and a social 衝撃 査定／評価, Savannah said.
The company 推定する／予想するs the remaining steps of the 環境の licensing 過程 to take nine-12 months to 完全にする. It hopes to receive its final 環境の licence in 2024. (報告（する）／憶測ing by Catarina Demony Editing by Helen Popper)
