Rio Tinto's Jadar lithium mining project forges ahead, despite protests

The Jadar lithium and mining project in Serbia is currently in its feasibility study stage and faces no legislative or regulatory hurdles, Rio Tinto Serbia said in a statement Dec. 10.

"Based on the existing regulations in the Republic of Serbia, there are no obstacles to the implementation of the Jadar Project, provided that it meets all the prescribed obligations necessary to obtain the necessary permits and approvals," said Andrea Radonjic, corporate communications manager at Rio Sava Exploration, Rio Tinto's Serbian subsidiary, in the statement.

The Jadar project is designed to produce 55,000 mt/year of battery grade lithium carbonate -- for which global demand is growing for use in the electric vehicles and electronics sectors -- as well as 160,000 mt/year of boric acid (B2O3 units) and 255,000 mt/year of sodium sulfate.

The company said that its priority is "to complete all studies on the environmental impact assessment", which will then be the subject of public debate and available to all interested parties for inspection and comment.

The statement was issued one day after the Serbian authorities yielded to requests from environmental protesters who took part in a larger-than-expected protest Dec. 4 against planned lithium mining by Rio Tinto in Jadar Valley.

The protesters, loosely assembled in the Ekoloski Ustanak movement, have been demanding changes to two recently approved laws that they claim were modified to facilitate Rio Tinto's Jadar Project. This link has been repeatedly denied by the Serbian authorities.

"Concerning the environmental requests, we received three demands. All three have been met. Any new demands ... are clearly political in nature," said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in a televised press conference in Novi Sad on Dec. 10.

"We are even changing the referendum law today, even though there were no substantive criticisms to the law. We are modifying a provision that set a RSD30 fee if you wish to submit a popular initiative for a referendum. If that was the 'enormous problem' that caused protesters to block highways, we solved it," Vucic said.

Changes to project

Legal issues aside, the Jadar project might face some other requests for modifications, after the Serbian president visited the Jadar Valley region and talked to local inhabitants Dec. 4.

"As regards the prospective mine, we will fight to try to....move the [Jadar] tailings pond and the artificial deposit hill from the planned site between two flooding rivers...to somewhere else. If they [Rio Tinto] find it expensive, let another investor come in, what can I do," Vucic said at the time.

Prompted about the implications of this statement, Rio Sava Exploration indicated that the Jadar project is a complex project that represents one of the largest greenfield lithium projects in the world.

"For this reason, all issues and decisions related to it require detailed analysis and consideration of all aspects," the company said in its emailed statement Dec. 10.

"If the request mentioned by the state authorities is sent to the company Rio Sava, which is developing the Jadar Project, it will be approached with maximum expertise and the greatest commitment," it said.

"Such a request would imply presenting all available data and facts, as well as considering the legal framework, before deciding on further project implementation. Our company has this approach towards all stakeholders, including local residents and government agencies," said Radonjic.