Mario Cabrera expresses his "concern", "reluctance" and "caution" in the face of the extraction of 'rare earths' in the Canary Islands.
The deputy of the Canary Islands Nationalist Group (CCa), Mario Cabrera González, intervened this Wednesday, February 21, in the European Affairs Committee held in Parliament, in which the extraction of 'rare earths' in the Canary Islands was addressed, to appeal for "caution" because it is a "very aggressive" extraction process and its true long-term impact and how it may affect sustainability is unknown "of our seas and oceans."
'Rare earths' represent the common name for 17 elements used in the telecommunications industry and also in the development of alternative energies such as electric cars. However, as Cabrera has detailed, it also means pursuing the exploitation of these limited natural resources and can cause that "to solve an environmental problem we are creating another", argued the deputy in reference to the consequences of chemical, physical and acoustic pollution that this could produce.
The Majorero deputy has been reticent and has pointed out that he supports research on the presence of Rare Earths in the archipelago, but has insisted that before carrying out any action it is necessary to know "the biology, ecology and connectivity of deep-sea species and ecosystems, as well as their functions in global regulatory processes, such as climate regulation and carbon sequestration."
The nationalist deputy determined that part of the Scientific Community, the Scientific Advisory Council of the European Academies, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Canary Islands and Spanish Fishing Sector oppose this practice without prior knowledge and study of the true impact it could have.
Cabrera has especially stressed that "without detailed and rigorous knowledge it is not possible to fully understand or evaluate the risks posed by the start of mining and in the meantime it is our duty not to allow this activity to irreversibly damage the ecosystems of the Canary Islands".
Rare earths, the key elements of the technology industry in Fuerteventura.
Universities in the Canary Islands have carried out geophysical studies in Fuerteventura that show their great potential in this field
"The presence of rare earths in the Canary Islands has captured the attention of the scientific community nationally and internationally. Scientists from leading universities have carried out research on four islands in the archipelago: Tenerife, La Gomera, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. These studies, which include detailed mapping and the collection of non-invasive rock samples, have shed light on the potential for potential deposits in the region. Of these four islands, Fuerteventura is a priori the one with the greatest potential with a finding of four kilos per tonne", advances in today's edition of Canarias 7 in an article by Sara Toj.
As the possibility of exploitation looms on the horizon, uncertainty arises about the participation of foreign companies in the research and exploitation of these deposits. In this context, the request submitted by Satocan, which advocates for the responsible management of these resources, is received with enthusiasm by experts.
The international focus on rare earths in the Canary Islands highlights the strategic importance of the region in providing these key elements for technological development.
Rare earths, a collection of 17 chemical elements, play an essential role in our daily lives. Necessary for the technology that forms the backbone of our modern society, these elements are indispensable in a wide range of applications, ranging from mobile phones and electric vehicles to renewable energy infrastructure.
China's position as a leader in the production of rare earths has led to a worrying global dependency. Europe, aware of the need to reduce its dependence on the Chinese market, has instructed its member countries to undertake extensive investigations in search of local rare earth deposits. The initiative seeks not only to ensure a more diverse supply, but also to strengthen the continent's security and technological autonomy.
The island of Fuerteventura is in the spotlight after the discovery of rare earth deposits in an area of 1.34 square kilometres. This discovery has aroused the interest of the company Tenáridos, part of the Satocan group, indicating the economic and strategic potential of the region in the production of these essential minerals.
Despite the expectations generated by the discovery, the project is in the exploration phase. Detailed studies need to be carried out to confirm the presence of rare earths, as well as to determine the exact amount available in the area. This research phase is essential to assess the economic and environmental viability of exploiting these resources.
The extraction and development of rare earths in Fuerteventura could not only generate employment and economic development, but also boost scientific and technological research on the island. Investment in R+D+i in this specific field would open new doors to innovation and the development of new technologies.
On the other hand, despite the strategic potential of rare earth deposits, advances in the exploration of these materials face environmental and social challenges. The need to find a balance between the exploitation of these resources and the preservation of the natural environment generates a complex and necessary debate.
In this regard, the European Commission could consider designating certain rare earth projects as strategic. This designation would allow them to expedited permitting within 24 months and streamline the process of establishing processing facilities in as little as 12 months.
11-03-2024, 03:52 PM (This post was last modified: 11-03-2024, 03:54 PM by Volcano.)
Thank you for the article Tamara. Now the word 'challenge' is a direct understatement giving the shivers.
This findings are a direct threat!
Fuerteventura has an extreme vulnerable position concerning everything (!) and than you invite commercial companies, to come and destroy the rest? Are they crazy?
Second request to investigate rare earths in Pájara and there would be a third in La Oliva.
Tenáridos asks for research in 19 square kilometers from Ajuy to the Pájara shooting range
According to the Canarias 7 website, the company Tenáridos S.L. of the Satocan Group has requested a second permit for the investigation of rare earths, this time in alkaline plutonic complexes with carbonatites and that would occupy 56 grids in the municipality of Pájara, from Ajuy to Amanay, within the Betancuria Rural Park and even the Pájara shooting range.
The new project, which comes at a time when the first one in the municipality of Puerto del Rosario is still in the period of allegations, would extend over about 19 square kilometers.
The second research project in Pájara is called Tenáridos-FV-03 P.I. Verode, while the first in Puerto del Rosario is called Tenáridos-FV-02 P.I. Opáres.
It is not ruled out, according to sources consulted, that there will be a third request in the north of Fuerteventura to investigate the concentration of rare earths in a certain area of the municipality of La Oliva.
Europe in the rare earths race
The rare earths race is taking place across Europe, ever since leaders forced member countries to inventory such crucial elements in the tech industry.
In November 2023, the EU reached a provisional agreement on a Critical Raw Materials Regulation, as demand for rare earths is expected to increase exponentially in the coming years.
Critical raw materials are commodities of great economic importance to the EU, and their supply is at high risk of disruption due to the concentration of sources and the lack of adequate and affordable substitutes.
The purpose of the Regulation is to:
increasing and diversifying the EU's supply of critical raw materials; strengthening circularity, including recycling; support research and innovation in the efficient use of resources and the development of substitutes.
The PSOE of Fuerteventura demands the Government to reject applications to explore rare earths on the island
The Socialist Group of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura in a statement sent today to Radio Sintonía Fuerteventura positions itself against granting research and exploration permits to search for rare earths on our island and urges the Government of the Canary Islands to reject all applications submitted to date and those that may be submitted in the future.
We describe as "cacicada", says the note, the fact that society and the municipal and island institutions and authorities of Fuerteventura have not been informed or consulted and that it is intended to develop an industrial and extractive activity with socio-economic implications of great magnitude on the Island of Fuerteventura.
As essential as minerals are, the island is a fragile and limited territory, said the spokesman for the Socialist Group, Blas Acosta, who also indicates that to obtain a gram of rare earth it is necessary to extract and process tons, generating irreparable and irreversible damage to very sensitive ecosystems that also have a high geological value. paleontological, faunal, botanical and landscape
Blas Acosta also stresses that this type of industrial activity has a very high impact on an island territory like ours that lives off tourism, and is also incompatible with Fuerteventura as a Biosphere Reserve and of course with the socio-economic model of the island that we have and for which we work for our children and grandchildren. that is committed to R+D+i, knowledge and quality services.
We are well aware of the value and strategic possibilities of this type of raw materials, and also that at the moment we are facing a simple admission of applications for processing by the General Directorate of Industry of the Government of the Canary Islands, but we have already announced that these research permits should not be granted without the participation of the island and municipal authorities of the island of Fuerteventura and our vote will be against.
Finally, the PSC PSOE of Fuerteventura is even against the investigation for the rights that implicit for the company the possibility of investigating.
Tenáridos also asks for 47 grids to prospect rare earths in La Oliva.
A third request joins those published in the BOE in Puerto del Rosario and the one that has transcended in Pájara
Rare earths are going to be the political workhorse of the summer, and it will surely extend during the legislature. The current mining law of the Spanish state, which dates back to 1973, together with the European guidelines on the "strategic elements", open the door to the requests that are being made on the island of Fuerteventura.
The European Union is ready to accelerate the extraction of rare earths from its soil. The first step in the growing interest in this type of minerals was taken with the publication of the Critical Raw Materials Act, a new regulation that is going through European bureaucratic procedures with the aim of laying the foundations in relation to this market.
The first steps envisage that, by 2030, the European Union has set itself the following targets for rare earths used in the continent's soil:
- extract at least 10% of the EU's annual consumption
- process at least 40% of the EU's annual consumption
- at least 15% of the EU's annual consumption is spent on recycling
- no more than 65% of the EU's annual consumption depends on a single external country.
Europe's motive is clear: to prevent dependence on China. Rare earths are a particularly valuable resource for electronics, renewable energy or electric cars. China's strength is total in any of these markets, controlling a supply chain that has been proven to be vital to the production of any of the products related to these markets.
Fuerteventura and rare earths
At the moment, the company Tenáridos seems to have presented three research projects, one of them is on public display for the presentation of allegations and another has not been disclosed at the moment, the third has transpired that it will be in the municipality of La Oliva. According to the projects that have been published, the presence of different types of rocks has been identified, such as pyroxenites, meteigites, ijolites, syenites and carbonites, which "are of particular interest due to their potential to host valuable mineral resources".
In the case of the Opares research permit, research has been requested in four mining grids, totaling 1.34 square kilometers of Puerto del Rosario. In the case of Verode, 56 mining grids have been requested, covering 18.77 square kilometers of the municipality of Pájara.
A third request in the municipality of La Oliva, which had already been advanced by Noticias Fuerteventura, is now leaked from the diario.com states that it is a new request for 47 new grids in the municipality of La Oliva.
What a great news. Having a strong industry is the only way of minimizing the importance of the hospitality sector in the economy of the island. People must understand that in order to protect the environment, one must first be able to put bread on the table.
I wonder why the socialist, environmentalist and other so called green organizations say nothing of the ugliness that are the big fields of solar panels North of Puerto, or the huge wind turbines runing the environment? It's all just politics and now is not any different.
This is one of the worst news possible for anyone who loves Fuerteventura.
Let me correct your previous statement: In order to protect the environment, one must protect it from the very beginning, not destroy it in the name of putting bread on the table. The environment IS our bread.
Mining rare earths on Fuerteventura would be a disaster:
The toxic chemicals used would poison our water, air and soil.
It would ruin the island's beauty, driving away tourists and destroying our economy.
The damage would far outweigh any short-term profits, which would mostly go to foreign companies anyway (and the politicians agreeing to this).
We can't let this happen! Fuerteventura's future depends on preserving our clean environment, not sacrificing it for a quick buck. Sustainable development is the only responsible path.
We must stand together and firmly oppose this dangerous rare earth mining plan before it's too late. If we don't, those who can leave will leave, and the poor will stay behind, finding themselves even poorer and living in a polluted wasteland.
The stakes couldn't be higher.
It's time to make our voices heard loud and clear to protect the island we all love. No to toxic mining on Fuerteventura!
Here is my first news post, one I think Tamara would have been delighted to post-
La Oliva unanimously approves request for the withdrawal of permits for rare earth mining
The City Council of La Oliva has approved today, April 22, in an extraordinary session, to request the withdrawal of research permits on rare earths on the island. This decision adds to the rejection already expressed by other island administrations, highlighting the shared concern about the possible irreparable damage that these activities could cause to the territory and its inhabitants.
The mayor of La Oliva, Isaí Blanco, expressed his firm commitment to the protection of the municipality's natural heritage: "We cannot allow economic interests to endanger our environment. Rare earth prospecting poses a serious threat to our resources and biodiversity, and we are determined to act accordingly to prevent its advance."
For his part, the Councilor for the Environment, David Fajardo, stressed the need for transparency in this process: "It is unacceptable that these permits are being processed without properly informing local institutions. We demand that the principle of citizen participation be respected and that the necessary consultation mechanisms be guaranteed to make informed and responsible decisions." In addition, he announced that the Department of the Environment of the City of La Oliva is preparing the pertinent legal allegations.
The motion approved unanimously in the extraordinary plenary highlights the serious effects that rare earth research projects would cause in protected areas such as the Biosphere Reserve, habitats of community interest and natural conservation areas. Likewise, emphasis is placed on the lack of consistency and transparency in the publication of the projects, which according to the institutional declaration has generated uncertainty and concern among the population.
AGREEMENT WITHIN THE INSTITUTIONAL DECLARATION ON RESEARCH PERMITS ON RARE EARTHS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY TODAY:
To urge the Government of the Canary Islands to revoke any type of authorisation relating to the research permits for "rare earths" on the island of Fuerteventura, as well as to reject any application in this regard.
To express the unanimous rejection of the Government Group of the City Council of La Oliva to authorize this type of extractive activities in our territory, in any of its phases (research or development), neither now nor in the future.
To demand that the Ministry of Industry of the Government of the Canary Islands inform the Cabildo of Fuerteventura and the affected Town Councils of all the information related to the applications for permits to explore "rare earths" in any area of our island.
To express our disagreement with the way of proceeding of the Ministry of Industry of the Government of the Canary Islands, which we understand violates the competences of local institutions, due to lack of transparency and communication.
To urge the Government of Spain to amend the Mining Law in the sense of this Institutional Declaration.
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