By Andrea Hargraves 
Minas: Mario Draghi called on the Portuguese lithium sector to actively participate in the recovery of the European economy. We need to accelerate the lithium process, but everything else is missing: financing and licensing. Portugal has the largest reserves in Europe and the ninth largest in the world.
It's a giant kite. The lithium sector is planning investments of over €4,600 million in the coming years in Portugal.
Of the five projects underway, the Savannah mine in Boticas is expected to cost a total of €390 million; the Lusorecursos mine in Montalegre is estimated at €650 million; the Aurora refinery (Galp/Northvolt) in Setúbal has a planned investment of €1,100 million; in the Chinese battery plant CALB in Sines, investments amount to €2 billion; Lifthium has designed a refinery for Estarreja worth $500 million.
“There is a window of opportunity open from now on, whether there is interest and intelligence to take advantage of it,” geologist Rui Pena dos Reis told JE of Draghi’s plan, which calls for accelerating investment in the lithium sector. “In Europe, Portugal has a reputation and credit for having reserves. It is a well-known fact. It is no coincidence that Draghi refers to the country.”
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