Savannah Resources disputed media reports citing a UN Aarhus Convention committee that alleged Portuguese authorities breached international law during approval of the Barroso lithium project. The company said two public bodies named in the UN document have clarified their positions: Portugal’s environmental regulator APA stated the project underwent the country’s longest public consultation—more than 110 days—while the Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR‑N) said all documents were made available in accordance with national law and the Commission for Access to Administrative Documents. The committee’s conclusions had been used by opponents to call for the licence to be revoked; APA responded that it has a differing interpretation of the Convention but followed administrative procedures. Savannah plans first output in 2027 from four open pits at what it calls Western Europe’s largest spodumene deposit, targeting throughput of about 1.5 million tonnes per year over an estimated 14-year mine life, based on a 20.5‑million‑tonne resource at 1.05% Li2O. The project is expected to produce lithium sufficient for roughly 500,000 to 1 million EV batteries annually, according to the company.