Rio Tinto’s Serbian lithium project faces a battle in the valley

The chief executive of Anglo-American mining company Rio Tinto has claimed in local media that his company and its controversial multibillion-dollar plans to create Europe’s largest lithium mine in Serbia are the target of a disinformation campaign “designed carefully and well organized”.

Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm used prepared text for Serbian online channel Politika to dismiss widespread public protests at the recently revived project, which has fueled fears of further environmental damage in one of the most polluted regions of the Balkans.

“Project development topics confuse, disturb and divide people.” he wroteaccording to a report by the Beta news agency of the future letter, adding: “Our employees are exposed to threats and intimidation on the Internet.”

The report did not include details of any alleged threats.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has long supported Rio Tinto’s 250-hectare mine project in the western Jadar Valley, saying it would create jobs.

Vucic and Rio Tinto representatives met and publicly answered questions at a forum last week in Ljubovija aimed at addressing some of the concerns of the Serbian public.

Vucic’s ally and recently appointed Prime Minister Milos Vucevic then promised that his government would insist on written guarantees about the safety of the project before allowing it to proceed.

Rio Tinto says the mine’s potential capacity of 60,000 tonnes a year of lithium could supply nearly a fifth of the continent’s needs for a burgeoning electric car battery market.

It has repeatedly said it will operate the mine safely and maintain high environmental standards.

The protests in Serbia erupted after the Constitutional Court overturned a previous government’s 2022 cancellation of initial permits, clearing the way for Vucic’s pledge to ensure completion of the Jadar mining complex.

Environmental groups and other local groups quickly accused Rio Tinto and the government to ignore their concerns.

But German and EU officials visited Serbia after that decision to write a document signaling support for “a strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials, battery value chains and electric vehicles”.

“This is the first time in the company’s long history that it has faced such a situation,” Stausholm said.

But Rio Tinto has faced local backlash before, including against operations in Western Australia that destroyed part of a sacred Aboriginal site.

Stausholm, who took over Rio Tinto in 2021 following the Australian scandal, said in the Politika contribution that all environmental impact assessments include a review period where citizens are informed and can ask questions and comment.

Minister of Energy, Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said recently that “we’ve already lost two years,” but added that it could take another two years for Rio Tinto to obtain the proper permits to build the mine.

Lithium is also used to power computers and smartphones.

Via RFE/RL

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