Metals & Mining, Non-Ferrous
August 12, 2026
Savannah Resources secures land access deals for Portugal lithium project
By Euan Sadden
Editor:
HIGHLIGHTS
Savannah signs land access deals in Portugal
Barroso project targets 183,000 mt/y output
Europe lithium carbonate stable at $19,000/mt
Savannah Resources has signed three benefit-sharing agreements with local communities that manage communal lands around the company's Barroso lithium project in Portugal.
In an Aug. 12 regulatory filing, the London-listed company said it had secured land access agreements with the Baldio — communal authorities responsible for land use — of the villages of Alijó, Canedo and Penalonga; the Baldio of Couto de Dornelas; and the regional Secretariat of the Baldios of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro.
Savannah said it now has land access agreements with two of the three baldios that manage land within the Barroso project's mining concessions.
CEO Emanuel Proença said the agreements reflect the company's approach to developing the Barroso project.
"This is not simply about securing access to land — it is about recognizing that the baldios belong to the communities that have managed them for generations, and that those communities have a voice in decisions and access to a fair share of the benefits," Proença said.
On July 15, Savannah published its definitive feasibility study for the project, outlining a Phase 1 operation capable of producing 2.56 million metric tons of spodumene concentrate over a 14-year mine life, equivalent to 183,000 mt/year. The study was based on a probable reserve estimate of 20 million mt, which was also published on July 15. Savannah has previously indicated construction could begin in 2027, with product sales starting in 2029.
Europe has only recently begun developing domestic lithium production capacity. Current and planned operations include AMG Lithium's lithium hydroxide refinery in Germany, the Keliber lithium project in Finland and Vulcan Energy Resources' Lionheart lithium project in the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field, which borders Germany and France.
Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed CIF Europe battery-grade lithium carbonate at $19,000/mt Aug. 11, stable day over day and week over week. Lithium hydroxide was assessed at $19,500/mt, also stable day over day and up $500/mt week over week.
