The lithium mine could open as early as 2028.
Serbia is preparing to give the green light to Rio Tinto for the development of Europe’s largest lithium mine, two years after Belgrade halted the project.
President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the “new guarantees” from the Anglo-Australian mining company and the European Union (EU) appear ready to address Serbia’s environmental concerns at the Jadar site. In an interview, Vucic expressed confidence that he would secure the necessary guarantees from EU leaders for related investments in Serbia, such as battery production and electric vehicle manufacturing.
“If we meet all conditions, the mine could be opened by 2028,” he said, adding that the project is expected to produce 58.000 tons of lithium annually, which is “enough for 17% of electric vehicle production in Europe – approximately 1.1 million cars.”
In January 2022, the Serbian government revoked Rio Tinto’s licenses following protests led by environmental groups concerned about the potential damage from the mine’s closure, water pollution, displacement of residents, and blocking of highways and bridges across Serbia.
The planned renewal of the agreement with Rio Tinto and the involvement of the EU is seen by Western officials as an important signal of Serbia’s geopolitical alignment at a time when it is being economically and politically courted by China, Russia, and Gulf countries.
“EU officials thought we would give the mine to China. We had no intention of doing that, as we promised to work with the EU,” Vucic said.
Furthermore, Vucic, who insisted on remaining committed to Serbia’s entry into the EU bloc, claimed that some European countries tried to undermine the Jadar agreement.
“They even participated in organizing protests in Serbia… I wondered why they were doing it. They will lose everything, and the Chinese will take their place,” he said at the time.
Europe currently has virtually no domestic lithium production, and Jadar would generate enough to meet 13 percent of the continent’s projected demand by 2030, Biznis Info writes.
E.Dz.
