The San Juan Project
The San Juan tungsten project is located near the town of A Gudiña, in the province of Ourense, within the autonomous community of Galicia (Spain).
It is a mining project focused on the extraction of tungsten, a strategic metal used in numerous high-tech industries, including industrial tools manufacturing, electronics, renewable energy, aerospace, and defence.
Galicia has a long mining tradition, particularly in tungsten and tin extraction. The tungsten deposit in this area has been known since the 1970s and has been the subject of various geological studies and exploration work ever since.
A Gudiña, a key territory for the project
The San Juan Project is being developed in the municipality of A Gudiña, a region with a strong local identity and a long-standing connection to productive activities linked to natural resource use. The project is embedded in this territorial context, with the aim of contributing to the economic and social development of the area.
From the early stages, the project has benefited from a constructive and open attitude from local institutions and the community. We would like to especially acknowledge the willingness to engage, and the positive reception shown by the Town Council, local representatives, and the residents of A Gudiña.
This collaborative environment is essential for the development of responsible industrial initiatives. The San Juan Project aims to generate economic activity, employment, and new opportunities for the municipality and its surroundings, always working in close connection with the local territory.
An advanced project with all key permits in place
The San Juan Project is currently at an advanced stage of development, with all main permits required for its operation already granted.
These include:
- Approved Environmental Impact Assessment
- Mining concession OU-5227 granted in 2015
- Extension of the mining concession for a further 30 years, until 2055
- Approval of the associated processing plant
- Approved archaeological clearance
This advanced permitting status places the project among the few mining projects in Europe that have reached such a high level of regulatory readiness and maturity.
Resources and deposit potential
Geological studies and drilling campaigns have confirmed initial reserves of approximately 67,000 tonnes of ore, with an average grade of around 1.3% tungsten trioxide (WO3).
In this first phase, additional resources have also been identified, bringing total estimated resources in 2026 to around 145,000 tonnes of ore, with further upside potential through future exploration campaigns.
Based on current data, a preliminary estimate of total extractable material stands at approximately 960,000 tonnes of ore.
A modern mining operation
The deposit is planned to be mined using open-pit methods, without the use of blasting.
Ore extraction will be carried out using conventional machinery, while processing will rely on gravimetric separation techniques — an efficient, low-impact method that allows for the recovery of tungsten from the ore.
Existing industrial facilities in the area will be adapted to host the processing plant, with an initial capacity of approximately 10 tonnes per hour. The plant will be modular, allowing for future scaling of production.
Project timeline
The project is currently advancing towards the production phase.
Pre-operational works have accelerated since August 2025, including infrastructure preparation and the development of the mining area.
The commissioning of the processing plant is planned for the first quarter of 2027, with the objective of starting tungsten production during the first half of 2027.
The San Juan Project aims to combine mining tradition, technological innovation, and commitment to the local area to contribute to the industrial and economic development of A Gudiña and Galicia.