The Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabic talked with the General Director of the Company “Rio Tinto” for borates and lithium Marni Finlayson and the Director of the Company “Rio Sava Exploration” Vesna Prodanovic about the continuation of the “Jadar” project and the progress of the feasibility study. In 2020, it approved an additional 200 million dollars.
Thus, the total investment of “Rio Tinto” in the research and development of the “Jadar” project exceeds 450 million dollars, the Government of Serbia announced.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Brnabic emphasized that the development of the “Jadar” project is of exceptional importance for Serbia and Loznica, and that more than 2,100 workers will be hired only in the phase of construction of mines and processing plants.
When completed, Brnabic added, the “Jadar” project will be a modern underground mine with an efficient Jadarite processing plant, as well as all the necessary plants for sustainable waste management.
“By applying the most modern technologies, which “Rio Tinto” developed for the processing of jadarite, special attention will be paid to the protection of the environment,” Brnabic pointed out, adding that she was satisfied with the progress of the feasibility study, which, in cooperation with Loznica residents, the process of land acquisition has begun, on which a future mine and a factory for processing jadarite will be built.
The “Jadar” project, which is being developed in Serbia by the international mining and metal group “Rio Tinto”, is of strategic importance for Serbia, both because of the exploitation of lithium and borate from jadarite, and because of the overall impact of this project on the development of green economy in Serbia. The project implies the development of a modern, technologically advanced and sustainable mine and Jadarite processing plant for a period of at least 50 years, with a direct impact on GDP and the development of a sustainable economy in Serbia, it was stated at the meeting.
The interlocutors agreed that the cooperation and partnership of the company “Rio Tinto”, the Government of Serbia and local communities are of key importance for the success of the “Jadar” project, while the general director of the company “Rio Tinto” for borates and lithium Marnie Finlayson pointed out that the company produces metals and minerals, which are essential for the economy.
Finlayson said that Rio Tinto products have a significant role in the process of transition to a green economy, and when developed, the Jadar project will produce lithium, the material of the future, and will significantly contribute to strengthening Serbia’s profile as a destination that attracts investors and creates opportunities for development of the green economy.
At the meeting in the Government of Serbia, which was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Mining and Energy, it was said that the “Jadar” project is of strategic importance for Serbia and the development of sustainable mining, and that the recently formed Working Group for the implementation of the “Jadar” project consists of company representatives. “Rio Tinto” and all line ministries, because it is a project of the whole of Serbia.
It was especially emphasized that special attention and importance will be paid to environmental protection, because a modern mine and a Jadarite processing plant include plants for sustainable waste management and a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant, so untreated water will not be discharged into rivers, N1 reports.
