Some 600 people gathered on Saturday in Tréguennec, a small town in southern Finistère, to express their opposition to the possible exploitation of a large deposit of lithium, this highly sought-after metal for the manufacture of batteries, discovered on a protected natural site.
“We fear that a lithium extraction project could see the light of day in Tréguennec”, explained to AFP Stéphane Le Garrec, a resident of the sector at the initiative of the rally. “Today is about marking the occasion, showing people’s interest in the subject and in the protection of biodiversity,” he added.
The Facebook page “Lithium in Tréguennec, No, Thank you!!!” which he originally counted on Saturday, a week after its launch, nearly 9,000 members.
The Tréguennec lithium deposit was revealed by the Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM) in 2018, but recent comments by members of the government reported in the press about possible exploitation of the metal have sparked concern among residents.
“We have already seen test balloons, in Plogoff in particular”, recalled Viviane Gacquière, 50, in reference to the victorious fight (1978-1981) of the inhabitants of the Breton village against a nuclear power plant project.
“If they want to renew their little experience here, we won’t let it go again because Bigouden is tough”, she assured, a sign in her hand on which we could read “We open the eye… the protection of biodiversity is our priority”.
“Tréguennec is not for sale!”, “No to lithium”, or even “Call for vigilance, the Pompili storm threatens the Tréguennec lithium deposit”, could we read on other panels.
Asked by Les Echos on February 17, the Minister for Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili said that “France must extract lithium on its territory”.
The deposit would be located on the site of an old quarry, at the level of the place called Prat-ar-Hastel, an area of marshes and dunes classified Natura 2000. It would be the second largest in France after that of Beauvoir (Allier) .
Lithium is one of the most sought-after components in the world today for the manufacture of automotive electric batteries, and its price is exploding on the world market.