The conservation organisation SEO/Birdlife has announced today that it will appeal to both Spanish or European courts, to prevent a proposed open cast magnetite mine from commencing operations in the Ebro Valley (Navarra).

World  - Europe

TUESDAY, 14 DECEMBER 2010 15:56

Source: EFE

Spain - 14/12/2010. According to a communiqué issued by the conservation organisation, this proposed mining activity would pose a threat to the Special Conservation Area Monte Alduide and the Special Area for the Conservation of Birds of the Irati forests.

Today, the project, which , according to the Office of the Environment and Water will have a limited effect on the environment, was approved by the Government of Navarra. It will be in operation for 40 years and will provide jobs for 12 local people.

However, SEO/Birdlife claims that the Government has acted illegally and ‘has not adhered to even the most basic rules’, adding that the results of the research on impact  presented by the developer prove that the Special Conservation Area will be ‘greatly affected’.

Ramón Elosegui, the area representative of SEO in Euskadi, states that his organisation has sent several letters to the Regional President of Navarra and the Minister for the Environment, informing them of the illegality of their actions but ‘they have chosen to break the law in pursuit of personal interests’.

The aim of Magnesitas de Navarra with this project is to guarantee the continuity of its operations and affirms that from the new extracted material it will be able to make products with greater added value than those available at the moment, open new markets and ensure employment at its plant in Zubiri.

According to SEO/Birdlife the magnetite can be "substituted" in order to protect jobs and asks the Government of Navarra to do all it can to reconvert the company and look for alternatives outside the protected areas of  the Natura 2000 network in the community.

Given the importance of the decision, SEO/Birdlife has decided to launch an international campaign to inform the general public about the Government of Navarra’s  actions, which not only contravene European guidelines, but also national and regional legislation on a ‘unique’ and protected area.