Europe is described as ‘watching intently as private companies are making preliminary studies into the existence of ‘critical elements in the Portuguese sub-soil’.
Among the ‘booty underfoot’ are ‘rare earths’ used by the technology sector.
Brussels has already ‘fast-tracked’ a number of extractive projects in this regard – saying that the plan is to reduce dependency on China. But now, it looks like there may be a lot more to ‘exploit’: more areas to dig up, than originally thought.
Luís Martins, a geologist with LNEC – the national laboratory for energy and geology – tells Jornal de Notícias: “We are on the brink of a new revolution with these resources. We should concentrate on mining in the coming years. We do it better than many European countries – even in terms of environmental impacts.
For now, everyone is ‘waiting’ for the results of preliminary ‘explorations’ (test drilling). This is going on in parts of the Alentejo and Northwest Transmontano regions (like Moncorvo, already well-known for mining).
“We are a long way from possible exploitation”, Martins insists, explaining that rare earths are “frequently associated with iron deposits, as has happened in Moncorvo.
The areas of the Alentejo cited by Martins include Monforte-Tinoca, Assumar, Crato-Arronches and Penedo Gordo, where extremely sought-after elements, including zircon, hafnium, titanium, niobium, tantalum, yttrium and scandium have been identified.
“Rare earth elements, also known as rare earth metals, are a group of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table. They include the 15 lanthanides, plus scandium (21Sc) and yttrium (39Y), which tend to occur in the same mineral deposits as the lanthanides and have similar chemical properties”, explains Martins.
“These elements are essential in various technological and industrial applications due to their unique properties, such as magnetism, luminescence and electrical resistance”.
Not all the minerals identified in the Alentejo technically belong to the group of so-called rare earths, but many are considered strategic or critical – and thus the European Union’s extreme interest as the search for these elements in the so-called Old Continent is becoming increasingly important.
As many have accepted, Portugal may indeed play a key role in this ‘revolution’ – but it will pay with its landscapes/ natural wealth and rural ways of life.
It is not a future that communities in the ‘firing line’ will be turning cartwheels over (as has been seen in the north where so many are fighting lithium mining projects tooth-and-nail).
But if one listens to experts like Luís Martins, the economic argument will almost certainly win through.
Just in gold, he suggests there are two very large untapped deposits in Montemor and Jales/ Gralheira which together could yield a “million ounces” – which at today’s prices are worth €3.6 billion.
Source: Jornal de Notícias/ ZAP
