“Rio Tinto is reviewing the legal basis of this decision and the implications for our activities and our people in Serbia.”
A Serbian protest group posted on social media on Friday calling for Rio Tinto to be given a “one-way ticket back to Australia”. “Serbia is not for sale!” it said.
“We are listening to our people and it is our job to protect their interests even when we think differently,“: Serbian PM Ana Brnabic.Credit:AP
Rio Tinto, Australia’s second-largest miner, last year allocated $US2.4 billion to construct the proposed Jadar mine, which would be able to produce enough lithium to power more than 1 million electric vehicles a year.
As carmakers worldwide race to lock in reliable supplies of raw materials including lithium, nickel and copper, which are failing to keep pace with ballooning demand, top Australian miners BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue are all increasingly looking to expand into electric battery ingredients.
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In October, Rio Tinto unveiled a major strategic shift including spending $US7.5 billion to halve its carbon footprint by 2030 and earmarking $US3 billion for new investments in minerals considered vital to driving the global shift towards carbon neutrality.
While natural resources are urgently needed to fuel the global switch from combustion-engine cars to electric vehicles, new mining projects are coming up against heightened scrutiny around the world and are struggling to secure community support. Uncertainty is also surrounding BHP and Rio Tinto’s joint proposal to build a huge new copper mine in the US state of Arizona amid objections by the San Carlos Apache tribe which fears it will impact sacred and actively utilised religious land.
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