WHO WE ARE
We are a large and very diverse group of citizens from Cáceres, who, outraged by the threat of the opening of an open-pit lithium mine in our city by an Australian company, decided to join forces and work very hard against this mining project that threatens our city, our life and our future.
For this reason, 4 years ago we organised ourselves and the non-political citizens' platform "Salvemos La Montaña de Cáceres" (Let's Save the Mountain of Cáceres) was born.
Since then we have not stopped and as a result of this selfless and peaceful work, we have managed to raise awareness both in public opinion and in public institutions about the serious consequences that this project has for the health of the people of Cáceres and the future and viability of Cáceres as a city.
We have earned the full faith and trust of the majority of our neighbours.
1. Some of the awareness-raising and enhancement activities carried out by the Salvemos la Montaña platform. Talks and information posts, demonstrations, "La Cadena Humana", cultural events, workshops, provide information to international media, a march on foot to Mérida to request an audience with Guillermo Fernández Vara for the fifth time.
Thanks to all of these and many other activities, Cáceres society is now aware of the problem and has mobilised in a way that it has not done for a long time.
But the company is pushing harder.
MILESTONES
In this relentless struggle we have achieved some victories that are fruit of the work of the citizens of Cáceres.
Protected landscape
With the disinterested collaboration of many professionals and experts in different fields, the Preliminary Report on the Protected Landscape Sierra de la Mosca was published.
Supported by 43 groups and associations, this report moved the citizens, who managed to put pressure on the Administration and thus initiate the procedures to protect the area.
In 2021, the Regional Government of Extremadura started the process to declare Sierra de la Mosca a Protected Landscape. Although the extension of land included in the petition will be less than that initially proposed in the report presented.
The 35,000 allegations
In a quiet city like Cáceres, getting thousands of people to sign the allegations against the project is a great victory and a turning point in our history.
Support of 22/25 councillors
In the plenary session of 18 February 2021, the mayor together with 22 councillors approved a motion against the mine. (https://youtu.be/GM44q5hX1u8?t=4530)
Exhibition at the European Parliament
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/es/committee-on-petitions_20200903-1645-COMMITTEE-PETI_vd
2. Our milestones have been reported in the media.
Calerizo
The Calerizo is a large body of underground water around which the city of Cáceres was born and from which it is nourished, it is the origin of the first human settlements in the area.
But it is not recognised as such.
Therefore, the Platform has financed an expensive professional hydrogeological report, which shows that the Calerizo is a large body of groundwater and it does exist, because the Tagus Hydrological Confederation does NOT consider it so. This is inconceivable.
With this report we have been able to make a formal request to the CHT and the City Council of Cáceres for it to be recognised at last.
This has been achieved with the effort of many people and months of work to get the money to finance it.
THE MINE
(Here you can find the project report: https://www.ayto-caceres.es/transparencia/urbanismo-y-obras-publicas/estudio-mina-valdeflores/)
This is an open-cast mine of disproportionate dimensions, with gigantic tailings ponds and a treatment plant, planned in the city which aims to use the groundwater body from which part of the city is supplied: the Calerizo.
The developer is the Australian company Infinity Lithium, which here is partnering with Sacyr to form Tecnología Extremeña del Litio, although its tax headquarters are in Madrid.
Since this journey began, irregularities have been our daily bread:
- pressures, obscurantism,
- irregular research permits on a land that does not allow such permits,
- misleading advertising campaigns, with increasing numbers of jobs as public pressure raises,
- illegal roads, for which the company has been condemned and fined (the fine has not yet been paid).
- etc.
Now, after four years, the promoter company maintains what four years ago they said was impossible: the mine, they say, is now to be built underground.
But there is no project presented, it is just another whitewash campaign to get the approval of the citizens.
Here we leave you an infographic with the real dimensions, taken from the only project, in which we have marked the distances to the most important areas of the city.
We invite you to look for the distances to the sewage treatment plant or the hospital. You can see this map in large size here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1raiwvI3purjp5GO91z0WTZK90_6Jb1rs/view?usp=sharing
3. Infographic that reflects the real situation of the possible mine in the city.
As you can see it is a nonsense and an aberration that threatens the future and viability of Cáceres.
WHY WE OPPOSE IT
WHAT EUROPE SAYS
Europe has called us a "sacrifice zone". Yes, there is such a term.
Europe says it urgently needs rare minerals to meet the emerging demand for lithium and other minerals. In fact, it seeks to avoid dependence on China to be able to manufacture batteries for electric cars.
With the excuse of the misnamed Ecological Transition they intend to turn our city into a sacrifice zone, a concept well known to those who suffer the threat and reality of these extractive activities.
NUMBERS NEVER LIE
According to Infinity Lithium, there is more lithium in the Sierra de la Mosca than in the whole of China. That's how dumb they think we are. In this Twitter thread you have all the details:
4. https://mobile.twitter.com/FernandoRod07/status/1376079401994096647
SO WHY US?
Because it is easy to break wills in areas that are not overpopulated like ours and that could be classified as "economically depressed areas".
Indeed, these speculative companies spend huge amounts of money to buy political and popular will. They have filled Cáceres with posters announcing the creation of a thousand jobs and pamphlets extolling the wealth and well-being that their "project" would bring to the city.
You only have to dive a bit into Google and see that these companies always work the same way: they promise, they buy wills, they plunder the territory, they impoverish the area at all levels and once they have achieved their goal, they disappear without looking back, leaving a trail of destruction and pollution.
Do you remember AZNALCÓLLLAR?
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
Because now it's a game of heads or tails.
The mining company is taking the Junta de Extremadura to court and after the hard road travelled so far, everything is left to the decision of a judge who needs to have our arguments and reports to support his decision with truthful and contrasted information.
If we don't provide it, nobody else will, that's why WE NEED YOU.
Infinity Lithium has sufficient economic resources and has hired one of the best law firms in Spain. They don't mess around, as they live on speculation.
Although our greatest asset is our human capital, we have reached a point where we can no longer move forward, as it would take years to raise the money to finance the lawyers, court costs, experts and reports, and the proceedings have already begun.
That is why we have decided to launch this microfinance campaign.
WE NEED YOUR HELP
WHAT WE WILL DO WITH THE MONEY
100% of the donations will go to the legal strategy.
Specifically, they will be used for experts, lawyers, expert reports, technical reports as detailed in the needs section.
Any lesser amount would jeopardise our presence in the litigation in which Cáceres and its citizens must have a voice.
As you can understand, we cannot reveal the steps of this legal strategy, but we can keep you up to date as they happen and their cost. Follow us on our networks and join us in this process. OUR VICTORIES WILL ALSO BE YOURS.
JOIN US DURING THESE 40 DAYS AND DON'T BE IN DOUBT!
We are happy to talk to you and anyone who has questions, it is one of our pillars!
You can find us at
https://www.facebook.com/salvemoslamontana
https://twitter.com/salvemosMontana
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDS2ac7Dv4wuc90zE1FQjgA
THESE ARE SOME OF US
Missing are Esther, Inés, Pablo, Carmen, Irene, Antonio D, Javier C, Amalio, Carlos, Toni, Antonio G, Maricruz, Javier P, José Luis, Mamen and dozens of others ...
Our project focuses on defending the city of Cáceres in court against the threat of a mining project that tries to force the opening of an open pit mine through the courts.
Facing the legal costs of lawyers, experts and professional reports.
Defending citizens' rights in court.
After fighting against the mining project for 4 years, we have reached a point where we are forced to ask for help, as we do not have the financial means to face the fight initiated by the mining company in the courts.
The experience of all these years has taught us that we must appear in court to refute all the laws, arguments and tricks that the company can sustain.
Therefore, our project is entirely aimed at defending the city of Cáceres, all the citizens of Cáceres, their way of life and their health.
We believe that our project is in the interest of all people who support a fair ecological transition and a sustainable economy.
We are an apolitical and horizontal platform, made up of dozens of people of different ages and professional profiles, who collaborate with their time, knowledge and hands in an altruistic way.
Since 2017 we have carried out a multitude of awareness-raising activities and formal petitions to the administrations that have been successful. As a result, we have gained the respect of the citizens of Cáceres. We are now stronger and bigger than just another association.
We also have the support of dozens of associations that have already supported us on other occasions.