Context
The Serbian government has revoked the licenses for lithium mining to Rio Tinto, an Anglo-Australian multinational mining organisation, following protests for nearly two months.
About
- Serbians have been protesting against Rio Tinto’s plans to mine lithium in the Jadar valley near Lozinca town in the country.
- Rio Tinto had discovered lithium deposits in the country in 2006 and had bought land in the Lozinca area in Serbia.
- While Rio Tinto has said to be fulfilling all Serbia’s and European Union’s environmental standards, protestors have been pointing out that lithium mining in the $2.4-billion project would irrevocably pollute the drinking water.
- Serbian capital Belgrade is surrounded by lignite mines and coal power plants powered by these mines, which only make the pollution worse.
Rio Tinto Plan
- Rio Tinto had discovered lithium deposits in 2006, in Serbia and had bought land in the Lozinca area.
- The company had been planning to invest USD 2.4 billion in the project.
- If completed, the project would be one of the biggest investment projects in the country.
Significance of the project
- The mine would have produced enough lithium, for operating one million electric vehicles along with sodium sulphate and boric acid.
- Once it is fully functional, mine would have created 58,000 tonnes of refined battery-grade lithium carbonate, annually.
- This would have made the mine Europe's most lithium-producing mine.
