“Radically Transparent” – this phrase has been repeatedly emphasized by Chad Blevit in his discussions with DW about Rio Tinto’s project “Jadar”. Blevit serves as the executive director of the lithium mining project in Gornje Nedeljice, western Serbia.
Blevit defended the company’s decision to recently publish a draft of their environmental impact study as a way to counter “misinformation”. The main message of this draft study, he says, is that “the project can be safe according to Serbian and European standards.”
However, the director of this large mining company remains cautious about specific announcements. When asked about the statement made by President Aleksandar Vučić in an interview with the Financial Times – suggesting that the mine could start operating in 2028 – Blevit mentioned that there are many steps to be taken until then.
Firstly, they need to regain the permits that were revoked in 2022 after protests, when then-Prime Minister Ana Brnabić declared it a “halt” to the lithium project.
According to Blevit, the next steps include obtaining construction and mining permits, followed by an official environmental impact study, all of which will involve public consultations.
“Based on the information we had before our permit was revoked, it takes four years to build a mine,” he said. “Nonsense” about a polluted Danube
Although the topic of the mine has been reignited, along with protests, authorities have not officially started reinstating permits for Rio Tinto.
Blevit largely blames “misinformation” spread by opponents of excavation for the project’s delays – ranging from claims that the entire Danube will be polluted with sulfuric acid to assertions that twenty thousand people will be displaced.
He specifically addressed a petition and a public initiative launched by the Kreni-promeni movement led by Save Manojlović. “The entire public initiative was based on these misinformation. If I heard that, I would sign the petition too! I would be scared too. All this information logically created fear,” Blevit told DW.
He stated that some of the “misinformation” comes from academics who are not experts in modern mining, and for a long time, the company believed that citizens would not believe in such “nonsense”.
In contrast, the director of “Jadar” claims that their draft study refutes apocalyptic scenarios. “The study shows that we will never exceed Serbian and European limits regarding air, water, soil pollution, noise levels, and dust. That is crucial.”
He called the study “the most comprehensive ever in Serbia” and invited the academic community to provide their comments. A music professor doesn’t understand mining
“We haven’t seen any experts – politically biased and opposition-oriented – attempting to debate this. They only spread misinformation and ultimately repeat ‘we don’t want the mine, we don’t want the mine.'”
He urges project opponents to identify flaws in the draft study and provide comments to further improve it.
“We are radically transparent. I expect the same transparency from the other side, but specific expertise is needed. A music professor cannot talk about chemical management or underground mine design,” Blevit said.
Regarding claims that the mine would disrupt agriculture throughout the Jadar valley or that local producers of such products would be unable to sell them anywhere, Blevit said:
“We will buy all agricultural products produced around the mine if you cannot sell them on the market and use them in our canteen for our workers to eat. Because we are 100% confident in the technology, studies, and safety of the underground mine.” Mandatory to have a “battery passport”
According to Blevit, Serbian authorities and the public now have additional assurance that everything will be in order with the new European regulations coming into force in 2027.
At that time, every battery will need to have a so-called “passport” confirming that the raw materials for that battery and the battery itself were obtained in accordance with environmental standards.
“Rio Tinto has already invested $600 million in the project. We will invest billions more if we get the permit. And we couldn’t sell any lithium in Europe unless we get a battery passport, which is only obtained if we meet the standards. This can further convince the authorities in Serbia that we will do the right thing,” said the DW interviewee.
Asked how much pressure Serbia is under from the EU to mine lithium as one of the crucial raw materials of the future, Blevit said:
“Critical raw materials are great for EU strategic autonomy, but if the project is not good for Serbia, nothing will come of it. In meetings with citizens, I always say that even when building a highway, stadium, or hospital, there is always an impact on the environment. Society weighs and decides.”
