EU Secures BEV Materials Mining Rights in Serbia

The European Union secures access to production of sustainable raw materials, battery manufacturing and battery-electric vehicles with a mining agreement with Serbia.

Mining giant Rio Tinto is hoping to begin operations in Serbia's Western region of Jadar and see its license to develop what would be Europe's biggest lithium mine reinstated, more than two years after it was annulled, Reuters reports.

During a memorandum of understanding signing, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says the project is vital for Europe's independence and that it “increases resilience and promotes industry.” He adds: “We need to reduce our dependencies, we need to have resilient structures in our supply chains, and that means that we need to develop new raw material tools around the world.”

Mercedes-Benz is a potential customer of lithium from Serbia and would support bringing more of the battery value chain to Serbia, the company's chief executive Ola Kaellenius says.

He adds: “They are building a very modern mine and we are a potential customer. To make it economic, we would certainly have some of the value chain in the country. Possibly up to the battery cell production...we would support that.”

However, the mining project continues to face fierce local protests and Serbian opposition and green groups have said they will start blockades of main railroads and junctions in August if the government does not end the project.

Last week several dozen activists from the Kreni-Promeni (Move-Change) movement protested against the Jadar project in front of the vast communist-era government compound in Belgrade.

Movement leader Savo Manojlovic, says, “You do not do this (extract lithium)...where there is a high population density, and some of the most breathtaking scenery,"

Asked about environmental concerns, Scholz says Jadar would “only work if it is oriented towards the standards that we consider correct” and that he had spoken to the head of Rio Tinto on the issue.