Japan and several leading companies express interest in Extremadura’s tungsten resources (El Periódico de Extremadura)

13 October 2025 – Source: elperiodicoextremadura.com

The Government of Japan and several major business groups from the country have expressed interest in the La Parrilla tungsten mine, located between Almoharín and Santa Amalia (Cáceres). Representatives of the company that owns the site, Iberian Resources Spain —part of the BlackRock investment fund—, travelled to Tokyo in September to present the project during a visit organised by the Vice-President of the European Commission, Stéphane Séjourné.

During their stay, they met with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Minister of Economy Yoji Muto, and executives from sectors such as automotive, technology and renewable energy. Japan aims to reduce its reliance on China, which accounts for around 85% of the world’s tungsten production.

The Extremaduran mine, the largest open-pit tungsten and wolfram deposit in Europe, is listed among the European Union’s strategic raw material projects due to its importance in industries such as electronics, defence and clean energy.

The Japanese government is considering potential investment or minority participation in the project, with discussions continuing after the visit. US-based companies have also shown interest.

Mining operations at La Parrilla began in 1954, were restarted in 2019 and suspended again in 2023. The site is currently undergoing environmental permitting by the Regional Government of Extremadura —a key step towards resuming production and consolidating the region as a strategic supplier of critical minerals.