The municipality of Pampilhosa da Serra, in the district of Coimbra, announced today that it disagrees with the prospection and research of mineral deposits in an open-pit mine, after a request for an opinion by the general directorate of energy and geology (DGEG). At issue are the granting of rights to prospect for “gold, copper, tin, tungsten, wolfram, but above all lithium” in the municipalities of Castelo Branco, Covilhã, Fundão, Oleiros (district of Castelo Branco) and Pampilhosa da Serra (in the district of Coimbra) – a concession area labelled ‘Raposa’. This is the second time the council has given a unanimous ‘NO’ to the DGEG. Mayor Jorge Custódio has now appealed for the support of local people, saying: ““If we spoil the best that Mother Nature has left us, we are not spoiling our heritage, we are spoiling the heritage of our children and grandchildren”.
