Serbians Protest Against Lithium Mine In Jadar Valley

Thousands of people in Serbia have protested in Belgrade against plans to mine one of Europe’s largest deposits of lithium—a crucial raw material for electric car batteries, Sofia Ferreira Santos reported for BBC News.

A license granted to mining giant Rio Tinto was revoked in 2022 following widespread protests in the country. I Photo: Rio Tinto

Activists say the mine would cause irreversible environmental destruction to Serbia’s Jadar Valley, where the deposit is located.

A license granted to mining giant Rio Tinto was revoked in 2022 following widespread protests in the country, but the project was restarted last month following a court decision and government U-turn.

President Aleksandar Vučić has insisted that strict environmental safety protocols will be put in place.

Protesters in the capital chanted "Rio Tinto get out of Serbia" and held banners saying "We do not give Serbia away" as they marched through the city. Serbia’s Interior Ministry estimated that between 24,000 and 27,000 people joined the protest.

Environmental activists also took over two of the city’s main railway stations, with some lying or sitting on the tracks.

Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said that organizers were "warned" by police that their actions "were not in accordance with the law." He vowed charges would be filed against "all perpetrators."