Portugal has largest lithium reserves in Western Europe

The largest deposits of lithium in Western Europe, used in batteries and medicine, has been discovered in Portugal. The discovery was made at Mina do Barroso in the Vila Real district where the British mining company Savannah Resources says there is at least 14 million tonnes of the precious element.

The British company Savannah Resources has discovered the mineral spodumene, a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium, aluminium inosilicate and is the main source in nature for lithium which is used in mobile phones, ceramics, car batteries and medicines. Lithium is extracted from spodumene using acid.  

A statement from the company, which believes there could be 14 million tonnes of the mineral, says: “We believe that the Barroso Mine has the largest reserves of spodumene in Western Europe, more than double what was anticipated.

“We think that the Mina do Barroso mine has the potential to be a lynchpin in the emerging European lithium value chain which could help European car manufacturers in the transition from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric ones,” says Savannah CEO David Archer.