Behind the suspension of the Jadar lithium mine project

In late January, the Serbian government rejected plans to develop the Jadar lithium mine, Europe's largest lithium project, and announced the withdrawal of Rio Tinto's lithium exploration license. Serbian Prime Minister Ana Burnabic said the government had completely halted Rio Tinto's Jadar lithium project and all decisions and licenses related to the project had been revoked.

Non-governmental environmental protection forces oppose the change in the development plan of the Jadar lithium mine project.

Last July, Rio Tinto announced plans to invest $2.4 billion in the Jadar lithium project in Serbia. Once implemented, the project is expected to reach 58000 tons of lithium carbonate, 160000 tons of boric acid and 255000 tons of sodium sulfate per year, which means it is expected to become the largest lithium mining project in Europe. It will also ensure that Rio Tinto remains the leading supplier of lithium in Europe for at least the next 15 years. The Serbian government supports the project. However, unexpectedly, the project triggered three large-scale protests by environmentalists and ordinary citizens in the country, and the key concern of opponents is that the project will cause environmental pollution when it is completed. It is based on a study on the environmental impact of the project conducted by the University of Belgrade in Serbia, which concluded that the lithium project should not be built because it would cause "irreparable damage to the biosphere". According to the results of the study, the disposal of industrial waste will damage the biodiversity of the entire project area, especially the impact on important areas such as mining areas, and will completely and directly destroy animal and plant habitats.

Last September, thousands of people gathered in Belgrade to protest, strongly expressing their dissatisfaction with the project's development plan, demanding that the government withdraw all commitments to developer Rio Tinto, and more than 110000 people signed a petition. against the project. The most recent protest by more than 2000 people in November brought traffic to a standstill in downtown Belgrade. In mid-January, Rio Tinto delayed the first production of the Jadar lithium project until 2027, citing key delays in approval.

It was wise for Serbia to veto the project.

At first, Serbia actively supported the project because it could generate considerable export earnings and increase employment opportunities, as well as the development of industries such as lithium mining and lithium battery factories in its surrounding areas. in order to generate more economic benefits and employment opportunities. However, after a series of mass protests and demonstrations by opponents in the country, the attitude of the government has changed because of the general election to be held in Serbia in April. Serbian Prime Minister Anna Burnabic recently said: "We are listening to the people, and even if we think differently, it is our duty to protect their interests." The Serbian government wants to develop the economy through mining projects, but it must also take into account the aspirations of the public.

The Serbian government's rejection of the Jadar lithium project is undoubtedly a wise move. This is because even if the project is forcibly developed despite the opposition of local environmental forces, there will be a lot of trouble in the future. For mining companies, today, when the concept of environmental protection is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, the development of large-scale mining projects will become increasingly difficult. Take the Jadar lithium mine project as an example, although Rio Tinto has promised to take various environmental measures, such as the construction of facilities to the highest standards, the reuse of almost all water, the use of electric trucks, and so on, in order to minimize the environmental impact. Vishna Prodanovich, chief executive of Rio Tinto in Serbia, said that the construction of the project would comply with all environmental regulations of the European Union and Serbia, including regulations on wastewater treatment, but local environmental forces did not buy it and did not approve it, resulting in the final failure of the project development plan.

The future development of mining industry should attach great importance to the problem of environmental protection.

At present, the success of a large mining project will often depend on the mining company (the project leader), the government where the project is located (often supportive, because it can promote the development of local resources, increase government revenue and expand employment) and the local people (basically for various reasons, environmental protection is one of the most important factors). The result of mutual influence and compromise between the three parties. The setback of the lithium mine development project in Serbia is telling, and similar incidents will be repeated in other countries in the future. 、

At present, mineral resource countries around the world are paying more and more attention to environmental protection. Gabriel Boric (Gabriel Boric) was elected Chile's new president in mid-December last year. He will take office in March this year, and Borrick has been emphasizing ecology and environmental protection during the campaign. In his victory speech, he made it clear that he would oppose mining plans that "destroy" the natural environment, including the controversial Dominga iron, copper and gold mining project, worth $2.5 billion. Chile is the world's largest supplier of copper and the second largest supplier of lithium, which is the most typical example.