With the economic crisis of 2008, the European authorities realised – and confirm this with the COVID-19 pandemic – the need for more rigorous control of the supply of priority raw materials for economic activity, if they do not want to collapse because of the geopolitical problems that are coming. On the other hand, the need to “decarbonize” the economy has greatly increased the hunger for minerals, highlighting lithium, but also gold, copper and most others. With the aim of linking the most destructive mining of economic activities to sustainable development, the European Union promotes “Green Mining” within the Green Deal.

The authorities, businessmen and academics meeting at the May Lisbon conference protested on the portal to the citizens convened by fourteen associations of citizens of Portugal and Spain, mainly from Galicia, who feel attacked by the new mining projects. Among them were those of the people of Covas de Barroso, who have mobilized the gigantic lithium mines that they want to break in that Portuguese town.

The fourteen associations disseminated the “Manifesto against so-called ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ mining, signed by over 180 associations. Here is a passage: “The mining industry, the European Commission and national authorities ensure that sustainable and responsible “green mining” is possible, managing water, energy and minerals as efficiently as possible and ensuring natural resources for future generations, while minimizing social, environmental and material impacts. We say that all these objectives are unattainable. Most of the projects mentioned involve the exploitation of less and less profitable sites, the generation of large amounts of waste and the promotion of outdoor mining to reduce costs and increase profits.”

These associations have called for the euphemism of "green mining" and the consequent green laundering of greenwashing to be abandoned, and in return they consider it necessary to disseminate truthful, clear and transparent information on industrial projects in both Portugal and the European Union as a whole.

The Iberian Peninsula is of great importance in the map of the new European mines. In the Spanish State, 2,000 underground exploration projects are mentioned and in the case of Portugal, where the industry is already authorised to excavate 10% of the land in the country.