Serbia is open to talking with Rio Tinto about the Jadar Lithium Project

19th January 2024 Serbia is open to talking with Rio Tinto about the Jadar Lithium Project

Jadar Lithium Project

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić has admitted that he wants to talk with Rio Tinto about the Jadar lithium project. In 2022 Serbian authorities revoked Rio Tinto’s licenses for lithium for the Jadar lithium Project (ca. of $2.4 billion).

Earlier on Wednesday during the World Economic Forum in Davos Vučić stated that he had a difficult conversation with Rio Tinto authorities. He said: „We are facing the question of whether the company will file a lawsuit against us or not”. He has added: „I asked them not to take measures to protect their interests.”

Assurance about talk

The Jadar lithium project was on hold after Serbian environmentalists collected 30000 signatures over the petition which demanded that parliament stop lithium exploration in 2021 and 2022. The activists have indicated that lithium exploitation will cause more pollution in Serbia, in already one of the most polluted European countries. Aleksandar Vučić has earlier stated that he has asked Rio Tinto for assurance about environmental standards. He has added that the newly formed government will address the issue.

„(Rio) must offer the cleanest solutions, which could be satisfactory to our people, the highest standards in the world for nature and the people who will work there”.

Rio Tinto in an email reply has informed that it is still the future of the Jadar lithium project: „(Rio) must offer the cleanest solutions, which could be satisfactory to our people, the highest standards in the world for the nature and the people who will work there.

To stimulate the Serbian economy the government has offered mineral resources to foreign investors e.g. China’s Zijin Mining Group.

Next WMC Congress

World Mining Congress

2026

The 27th World Mining Congress will be organized in 2026 in Peru.

Learn more
27th
Next IOC Meeting

IOC / WMC Meeting

2025

The 106th IOC/WMC meeting will be organized on September 18th 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Learn more
106th

Our news Others news

26th June 2025 BOEM approved first-ever request for critical mineral exploration in the deep sea

Seabeds raw minerals. Source; Photo by Nathan Langer on Unsplash

The Pacific Outer Continental Shelf holds immense promise for critical mineral resources vital to modern technology…

25th June 2025 Santa Cruz Copper Project with a strong Preliminary Feasibility Study

Ivanhoe Electric Inc. have made a press release where it has announced the completion of the…

23rd June 2025 Electrum Discovery Corp. unveils exploration breakthroughs at Timok East Copper-Gold

Gold bars. Source: Photo by Zlaťáky.cz on Unsplash

Electrum Discovery Corp. has informed in a press release about the transformative findings from its recent…

17th June 2025 A game-changer in rare earth recycling

Aluminium recycled foil. Source: Unspalsh.

Cyclic Materials has made a press release about its transformative step forward in building a circular…

13th June 2025 Brazil’s rare earths boom – a new frontier for global supply chains

Various minerals. Source: Photo by Takemaru Hirai on Unsplash

As Bloomberg informs, the global demand for rare earth elements surges, Brazil is stepping into the…

10th June 2025 13 Strategic projects – strategic milestone for Europe’s economic security

European Union flags. Source: Alexandre - lallemand Unsplash.

The European Commission has unveiled its first list of 13 Strategic Projects focused on critical raw…

30th May 2025 Unlocking the future of sustainable seabed mining

Seabeds raw minerals. Source; Photo by Nathan Langer on Unsplash

Lately a significant milestone in sustainable resource development has just been reached by Impossible Metals Inc.,…

29th May 2025 Velvet-Wood uranium and vanadium mine first project approved under new framework

The nuclear power plant at night. Source: Photo by Nicolas HIPPERT on Unsplash

The Velvet-Wood uranium and vanadium mine in San Juan County, Utah, has just received approval from…

28th May 2025 Harmony Gold with a $1.03 billion USD bid for MAC Copper

Gold bars. Source: Photo by Zlaťáky.cz on Unsplash

Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited has publicly announced a transformative step in the company's journey towards…

23rd May 2025 Gilar Mine begins production!

Miner and a truck in underground mine. Source: Photo by Munkh-Erdene Eenee on Unsplash.

Anglo Asian Mining has made a press release informing that it has commenced production at Gilar,…