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Serbia could be mining lithium as early as 2028, President Aleksandar Vucic said, following new assurances from Australian mining giant Rio Tinto and the European Union on the controversial project, the Financial Times reported on Sunday (June 16).
According to Rio Tinto, Jadar in western Serbia holds one of Europe’s largest reserves of lithium, a strategically valuable metal that is essential for electric vehicle battery production.
The deposit was discovered in 2004, but the Serbian government halted the mining project in 2022 following weeks of protests over concerns for the environment and public health.
Vucic told the Financial Times that the mining giant and the EU had given “new assurances” on compliance with environmental standards.
“If we complete all tasks, the mine could be put into production in 2028,” Vucic said, adding that it would be a game-changer for the country and the entire region.
The president said the mine is expected to produce 58,000 tonnes of lithium per year, equivalent to 17% of Europe’s electric vehicle production or 1.1 million vehicles.
Opponents have previously accused Rio Tinto and Vucic of being opaque about the process and refusing to release an environmental impact statement.
On Thursday, the mining giant released an environmental impact statement aimed at allaying concerns and resetting the terms of the debate, with the group pledging to use “safe, reliable and proven technologies”.
Rio Tinto condemned “widespread misleading propaganda based on defamatory elements” that made “unfounded claims” that the project would harm water resources, soil, biodiversity, air quality and human health.
In September 2023, Serbia and the European Commission signed a letter of intent for a strategic partnership in the field of batteries and raw materials.
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