Dear friends, expats living in Portugal, and tourists that love our country

Portugal is a paradise of unspoiled green areas, with abundant water resources and a landscape that ranges from deep mountains to wide open flat lands.

The reality is that the Portuguese nation is now waking-up to the fact that more than 70% of our country was identified for lithium mining, with a few contracts already awarded in very dubious processes.

Add to the target areas for lithium and other minerals the areas also identified for fracking for gas and oil, and the picture starts to be one that nightmares are made of. Meaning that more than 80% of our territory will be faced with massive environmental and local economic devastation, of which Portugal will never recover from.

If we allow this to proceed, Portugal will be the “Skunk Works Zone” in Europe, reducing livable areas to Lisbon and Porto. Not even the Algarve and Alentejo will be spared in the years to come.

We now have a very short window in which to act.

We want to force this issue into the political election campaign that will be starting shortly, and force this topic strongly into the political arena before upcoming elections in October this year.

ASMAA is NOT alone dealing with this threat to Portugal. There are many other local groups and associations already running, and others being created as we speak and joining the fight daily. 

Although there’s been a few mining projects in the past in Portugal, none has been of the magnitude that we are confronted with at present, but the destruction left behind by previous mining operations are a clear warning of what to expect in the future.

WE CAN’T LET IT HAPPEN. WE NEED YOUR HELP. WE NEED YOUR VOICE.

ASMAA’s role will be to collate and hold a hub of information on our website. In addition we will be supporting our friends and colleagues that are in the areas directly affected. And we will be side-by-side with them once court action starts.

WILL YOU HELP?

How?

By signing and sharing petitions 
By contributing to our campaign fund
By alerting us of any facts about this massive risk to Portugal that you may become aware off.
By following the news on our website
If you are in Portugal north and central – by joining hands with local groups.

PORTUGAL IS COUNTING ON YOU.

The video showcases just one company out of more than 60 that are targeting more than 250 license areas. Its a terrifying prospect.

We invite you to visit our website to keep abreast of developments. Here's the link: http://asmaa-algarve.org

Before you leave will you DONATE to this cause? So please will you chip in to help make it happen? We can’t save our country without you.

TO DONATE 25€ | 50€ | 100€ or any amount you feel is just

You can donate via PayPal (including credit card payments): info@asmaa-algarve.org or through the donate button on our website: http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/donate

Or via Bank Transfer (EFT)
BANK: SANTANDER TOTTA
ASMAA Algarve Surf and Marine Activities Association
IBAN: PT50 0018 0008 02686698020 51

REF: Say NO to Open Cast Mining (if your donation is for the anti-lithium open cast mining in north and central Portugal. Costs include: research, legal opinions, etc.)

REF: ASMAA if your donation is for general operating costs

At ASMAA we care deeply for our COUNTRY, for its natural beauty. We care for our local economies, as well as the people living in rural areas across target mining exploration areas. We also care deeply about our nature and its ecosystems.

But it’s clear that if we don’t take action now, and join hands with the communities that will be deeply affected, the whole country will loose. We will all loose.

But doing things like this costs money, and ASMAA has no big donors - we can only be bold because of small donations from people like you. It makes everything we do possible.

So please will you chip in and help us? It only takes a moment, but your help will go a long way to put a stop to this terrible threat.

The ASMAA Team