Vucic: Jadar lithium mine might be opened in 2028

Serbia is preparing to give green light to Rio Tinto for the development of the biggest European lithium mine two years after Belgrade stopped the project, which would open the road toward a considerable stimulation for the electric vehicle industry on the continent, according to the Financial Times’ article titled “Serbia set to give green light to Rio Tinto lithium mine”.

President Aleksandar Vucic said that the “new guarantees” of the Anglo-Australian company and the EU seemed to be ready to respond to Serbia’s concerns about whether the necessary environmental standards would be fulfilled in the Jadar location. In an interview for the Financial Times, Vucic pointed out that he was convinced that the necessary guarantees of EU leaders for related investments in Serbia, such as the production of batteries and the production of electric vehicles, would be secured as well.

As long as the requests concerning “the entire value chain plus a perfect environmental protection” are met, Vucic said, it is expected that the business and political leaders will come to Belgrade next month for an official announcement about the project.

– If we fulfill it all, the mine might open in 2028 – he said and added that it was projected for it to produce 58,000 tons of lithium a year, which would be “sufficient for 17% of the production of electrical vehicles in Europe – around 1.1 million cars.”

Vucic added that he truly believed that it could be a key change for Serbia and the entire region.

Rio Tinto Exploration Dunav d.o.o. Beograd

Rio Sava Exploration d.o.o. Beograd

Ministarstvo finansija Republike Srbije

Kreni Promeni

Rio Tinto

Aleksandar Vučić

Jadar

lithium

lithium mine