TIDMSAV
RNS Number : 3568W
Savannah Resources PLC
22 April 2021
22 April 2021
Savannah Resources Plc
('Savannah' or the 'Company')
Mina do Barroso Environmental Impact Assessment Update
Highlights
-- Mina do Barroso EIA documents available for public consultation
-- Savannah is committed to managing the Environmental, Social
and Governance aspects of its activities at Mina do Barroso in line
with high ESG standards and international industry best
practice.
-- 238 individual minimisation measures contained in the EIA
which are designed to eliminate, mitigate, or minimise impacts
-- An innovative and socially responsible Benefit Sharing Plan
which will produce enduring value and contribute to the economic
and social development of the local communities
-- A Good Neighbour Plan to maximise positive outcomes for local communities
The Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") of the Mina do
Barroso Lithium Project ("Mina do Barroso" or the "Project") in
north east Portugal moved into the public consultation stage today
with the release of the EIA documents on the Portuguese Environment
Agency (Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente, "APA") website. On 16 April
2021, APA declared Mina do Barroso's EIA to be in conformity with
its requirements for the content of the EIA. The period of
consultation will extend over a period of 40 days and close on
Wednesday, 2 June 2021.
Results from the public consultation and the Evaluation
Committee's review will then form the basis for the Committee's
"Final Technical Statement" which will allow APA to prepare the
contents of the Environmental Impact Declaration ("DIA") and award
the Project its DIA, should this be the decision. Assuming there
are no statutory delays, Savannah is expecting to receive the DIA
during August 2021. Subject to the results of the EIA, construction
is targeted to commence in 2022 with commercial production in
2023.
The public consultation phase of APA's review process is
designed to introduce the EIA to stakeholders and to collect
opinions, suggestions and other contributions from those interested
in Mina do Barroso. During the public consultation phase,
stakeholders will be able to review and comment on Savannah's plans
for Mina do Barroso and how the impacts during the different phases
of the Project: construction, operation, environmental
rehabilitation and closure, will be managed.
David Archer, Savannah's Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are
pleased that the EIA is now ready for public consultation. The EIA
documents provide a facts-based analysis to aid stakeholders'
evaluation of the Project.
"The EIA outlines how we care for the environment and the local
communities. We are keenly aware of the environmental and social
impacts of our activities, from design right through to
rehabilitation and mine closure. Protecting the environment and the
safety and wellbeing of those communities is our prime concern and
an essential part of our care for future generations. This is
highlighted by 238 individual minimisation measures contained in
the EIA which are designed to eliminate, mitigate, or minimise
impacts and by a Benefit Sharing Plan and a Good Neighbour Plan,
both of which endeavour to support and benefit local communities
through the sponsorship of meaningful and relevant local community
projects.
"The EIA is a synthesis of almost three years of work and
outlines a development approach for the Project that is
sustainable, responsible and innovative. Mina do Barroso will be an
example of the application of "Green and Smart" management and
control practices to mineral production. The Project has been
designed to have a low C02 footprint with the use of locally
abundant renewable power such as wind and hydro and in the medium
term we are targeting NetZero C02 emissions."
The EIA is a comprehensive document having been written by VISA
Consultores ("VISA"), one of Portugal's leading environmental
consultancies, along with 28 sub-consultants all of whom are
leaders in their fields. The EIA assesses all the features of the
Project including the socio-economic, heritage, cultural, planning
and environmental aspects. The EIA documents can be downloaded from
the APA website ( https://siaia.apambiente.pt/AIA.aspx?ID=3353 )
and further information can also be found on the Savannah website (
https://www.savannahresources.com/environmental-impact-assessment-eia/
).
A series of detailed studies on all aspects of the proposed
development were completed for the EIA, with significant emphasis
placed on designing the project to ensure that the impacts in
general are of low impact, or, with innovative designs and
technologies, eliminated. Approximately EUR15 million will be
invested in measures that are specifically designed to either
eliminate, mitigate or minimise potential environmental
impacts.
Some of the key outcomes for the Project include:
-- Air quality will be assured during the life of the Project
with the management of concentrations of dust in the air within all
legally established limits. Dust monitoring will be continuous.
Outside of periods of rainfall, Savannah will treat unpaved roads
with water to minimise dust generation.
-- Water quality will not be affected, since after use, all
water will be treated in a water treatment plant to be built in the
Project area and Savannah will mainly use surface and groundwater
collected in the Project area. Water consumption will be monitored
via meters installed at relevant points in the water supply
network. Approximately 85% of the water used in the processing
plant will be recovered and recycled in the process. Reagents used
in processing will largely be organic based, with the innovative
use of oleic acid (a constituent of olive oil).
-- Sound levels will be managed and will comply with the
regulated sound limit values. Blasting will only occur on 3 to 4
days per week between Monday and Friday, between 12pm and 3pm.
There will be no blasting at weekends. Extensive, strategically
located earthen barriers covered with newly planted trees will be
created as an effective measure to contain and minimise sound from
the Project.
-- Project Traffic will not affect local villages as a EUR6m
bypass road has been designed which will take all inbound and
outbound vehicle movements to the Project and in a direction
distant from local villages. This will mean no trucks or mine
related traffic will pass through the surrounding villages and will
eliminate the possibly of traffic noise.
-- Vibration levels will not affect local residents. Drill
patterns for mining the ore have been designed to ensure that the
vibrations will not, in any circumstances, exceed the regulated
limits with respect to the nearest surface infrastructure. Savannah
has developed its own prevention and control methodology to prevent
damage to buildings and structures.
-- The quality of the soil will be monitored, managed and
preserved, since the operation will not use chemical products that
might alter it. One of the most important measures is the
preservation of the topsoil from the areas to be affected by the
operation. This topsoil will be removed, stored, safeguarded and
cared for appropriately so that it can be re-laid during
rehabilitation as a basis for revegetation of native species.
-- Waste management is ensured by the Deposition and Waste
Management Plan, and through the Best Available Techniques (BAT)
ensuring optimized waste management, in compliance with the Mine
Plan and government regulations, without creating local
impacts.
-- Progressive and ongoing rehabilitation will start on day one,
continue throughout the operation and will be monitored and managed
after the de-commissioning of the Project. The rehabilitated land
in the Project area will be offered to the respective Parish
Councils, making them available for use by the communities, for
agriculture, tourism, community owned businesses such as pumped
hydro or other purposes. Our goal is to ensure the Mina do Barroso
site is safe and stable, and that the cost of aftercare/
rehabilitation is appropriately provided for.
-- An innovative and socially responsible Benefit Sharing Plan,
designed by Savannah which will produce enduring value and
contribute to the economic and social development of the local
communities. The Plan will result in the creation of a community
foundation, to which Savannah will donate EUR500,000 per year (some
EUR6 million in total mine life), in order to share the benefits of
the Mina do Barroso Project with its surrounding communities. An
annual activity plan will be defined, in line with local and
regional socio-economic objectives, in accordance with the needs of
the communities and Boticas Municipality, through a process of
consultation with the community and local management entities.
-- The Good Neighborhood Plan encompasses a collaborative
sharing of the use of the Mina do Barroso Project facilities in
times of community need or emergency such as the Project's medical
clinic. Where possible we will prioritise local employment and
local service provision. The Project will work closely with and
contribute funding to local fire management services.
Savannah will continue its open dialogue with local communities
and will establish a community collaborative committee which will
meet regularly to discuss the Project, take on board the
community's thoughts and as a conduit to the local community of
news of planned activities. The committee will be established
immediately after the EIA approval.
According to the technical assessment carried out, the most
significant positive impacts occur in terms of socioeconomics, with
local, regional and national expression, allowing the creation of
215 direct jobs and between 500-600 indirect jobs. In the same
report, it is also recommended the implementation of measures that
will allow the revitalization of the space used by Mina do Barroso
and of a Monitoring Plan that, among other aspects, will allow the
environmental revitalization, with the preservation of the fauna
and flora of the region.
Mina do Barroso, involves a significant investment for the
construction of the mine development and associated local
infrastructure including EUR15 million in measures that either
eliminate or reduce potential environmental impacts. The Project is
currently the most significant project for the production of
spodumene lithium in Western Europe. With planned annual lithium
production capacity sufficient to power around 500,000 electric
vehicles, Mina do Barroso will be an anchor project that will act
to crystallize the development of the lithium-ion battery value
chain in Portugal.
With a responsible, sustainable mining operation with low
impacts through innovation and mitigation, the Environmental Impact
Study thus concludes that impacts from Mina do Barroso can be
successfully managed and will contribute significantly to the
development of the region and Portugal as a whole.
This Announcement contains inside information for the purposes
of the UK version of the market abuse regulation (EU No . 596/2014)
as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("UK MAR").
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.savannahresources.com
or contact:
Savannah Resources PLC Tel: +44 20 7117 2489
David Archer, CEO
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nominated Tel: +44 20 3470 0470
Advisor)
David Hignell / Charlie Bouverat
finnCap Ltd (Joint Broker) Tel: +44 20 7220 0500
Christopher Raggett/ Tim Redfern
WH Ireland Limited (Joint Broker) Tel: +44 20 7220 1698
Jessica Cave / Matthew Chan (Corporate
Finance)
Adam Pollock (Corporate Broking)
Camarco (Financial PR) Tel: +44 20 3757 4980
Nick Hennis / Gordon Poole
About Savannah
Savannah is a diversified resources group (AIM: SAV) with two
development stage projects, Mina do Barroso, a hardrock lithium
project in Portugal which has the largest spodumene lithium
resource in Europe, and the world-class Mutamba Heavy Mineral Sands
Project in Mozambique, which is being developed in a consortium
with the global major, Rio Tinto. The Board is committed to serving
the interests of its shareholders and to delivering outcomes that
will improve the lives of the communities we work with and our
staff.
The Company is listed and regulated on AIM and the Company's
ordinary shares are also available on the Quotation Board of the
Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FWB) under the symbol FWB: SAV, and the
Börse Stuttgart (SWB) under the ticker "SAV".
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END
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