By the end of 2021, an additional $ 200 million investment and 3 studies on environmental impact assessment
Rio Sava Exploration, part of the Rio Tinto Group, presented an update on the “Jadar” project. Rio Sava Exploration is the leading greenfield investment in Serbia, which has invested US$250 million to date, and an additional US$200 million allocated in the pre-feasibility stage scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. In this phase, three new environmental impact assessment studies will be completed covering the mine, mineral processing plant, and industrial waste solutions.
The Jadar project is a deposit of boron and lithium that Rio Tinto discovered near Loznica and is unique in the world because it contains Jadarite, a new lithium-sodium-borosilicate (LiNaSiB₃O₇OH) mineral. Since the discovery, Rio Tinto teams from North America, Europe, and Australia have been working on the project, with the support of as many as 100 domestic experts.
Once developed, Jadar will produce lithium carbonate in quality suitable for the production of lithium batteries used to power electric cars. The resource is also rich in borates which has a wide range of applications, from agriculture, FMCG industry, telecommunications, chemical industry.
Jadar is planned as a mine of the future – with a commitment to safety, innovation, environmental performance, partnership and close cooperation with the local community.
The implementation of the project in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia will bring long-term benefits to all stakeholders, including the local community, the national economy, as well as investors.
In the current phase, the project team is focused on the development of technical documentation, studies on impact assessment on the environment, purchasing land, and obtaining permits for construction following the approved plan of activities.
The new mineral, new processing technology, and a new market require a comprehensive approach and analysis for Jadar to be a long-term and sustainable operation.