Savanna and the Mountain

In the mountainous region of Covas do Barroso, in northern Portugal, a small rural community is facing a threat that endangers their way of life. The residents discover that the British company Savannah Resources plans to build the largest open-pit lithium mine in Europe, located just a short distance from their homes, crops, and water sources. The news raises alarm among the neighbors, who fear the environmental, social, and economic consequences that mining exploitation could bring.

For generations, the inhabitants of Covas do Barroso have lived off agriculture and livestock in a landscape recognized for its natural and cultural value, protected by the designation of World Agricultural Heritage. The arrival of the company calls into question this ancestral balance, pitting the promise of economic development and jobs against the risks of pollution, environmental destruction, and loss of community identity.

In light of the magnitude of the project, the neighbors decide to unite to defend their lands. Farmers, shepherds, and entire families organize into assemblies, create citizen platforms, and undertake legal actions and public protests. Their struggle becomes a symbol of resistance against the advance of large-scale mining and an example of rural mobilization in defense of the territory.

The story of Covas do Barroso reflects the conflict between the demands of the energy transition —which requires minerals like lithium— and the protection of local communities that inhabit the places where these resources are extracted. It is a portrait of collective dignity and determination in the face of corporate power.