The feasibility study for the ‘El Moto’ mining project in Abenójar (Ciudad Real) confirmed resources of 91 million tonnes of tungsten ore with an average grade of 0.44% $\text{WO}_3$, along with an additional resource of 1.2 million ounces of gold.
Developed by the company Abenójar Tungsten SL with the backing of EIT RawMaterials, the project plans to begin facility construction in 2025 and start production in 2027, aiming to become Europe’s leading tungsten producer.
Economic and Strategic Impact
The company notes that El Moto will have a direct impact on the region’s economic revitalization, creating over 500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs in sectors such as construction, transport, and services.
Tungsten is a critical raw material for the European Union, essential in sectors such as aerospace. Currently, more than 80% of the global supply comes from China, creating a dependency risk that this project will help significantly reduce.
El Moto will cover 20% of Europe’s demand for tungsten, exceeding the target set by the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which stipulates that at least 10% of these resources should originate from the EU.
Bernd Schäfer, CEO of EIT RawMaterials, highlighted that this project is key to Europe’s strategic autonomy, reinforcing the EU’s independence and demonstrating that European mining can be innovative, sustainable, and socially responsible.
The mayor of Abenójar, Verónica García, emphasized that this represents a “historic opportunity” to combat depopulation and attract investment, in addition to offering new employment opportunities.
Technical aspects of the project
The deposit allows for efficient extraction through underground mining at depths between 50 and 350 meters, with low waste generation.
The extraction process will be carried out under a sustainable approach, implementing advanced waste management and energy efficiency systems, in compliance with European Union environmental regulations.
Currently, Abenójar Tungsten is in the process of securing total financing for the project, which amounts to 140 million euros. According to its general manager, Gonzalo García, this funding is key to starting construction work within this year.
