After the problems in Devon with Wolf Minerals and its Drakelands Mine, another Australian mining outfit, operating in Europe and promising untold riches, showed signs of coming unstuck this week, with its ASX shares suspended after Reuters reported "Spain to block Berkeley uranium mine project":
The Spanish government has decided not to deliver the permits necessary to open the European Union’s only open-cast uranium mine near Salamanca, dealing a serious blow to Australian mining company Berkeley Energia’s plans.
The project was granted preliminary approval in early 2013 but has since faced local opposition.
"The government will wait for the ongoing proceedings to go through but it will say no," a government source said on condition of anonymity.
Spain’s energy and environment ministry declined to comment. The Nuclear Safety Council had no immediate comment.
A second source, directly involved in the proceedings, said Berkeley was "living in a parallel universe" when it said the mine would soon become a reality.
Local opposition? In June, it was reported that "Thousands protest against uranium mine in Spain":
Spanish media are reporting that between 3,000 and 5,000 people hailing from different cities in Spain, as well as from Portugal and France, rallied this weekend in Salamanca to express their rejection to a uranium mine being built in the Retortillo municipality.
