GNV News — August 16, 2024

On August 10, 2024, about 30,000 citizens held a large-scale protest in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, against a lithium mining project. Demonstrations had been held over the previous two weeks in dozens of towns and cities, culminating in a peak with this protest.

The mining project, based in the Jadar Valley, is led by Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto. Lithium is a metal needed for electric vehicle batteries and more, and is highly sought after across industry supply chains as a key driver of Europe’s green energy transition. However, lithium mining raises concerns about environmental impacts on local soils, water sources, and more. Furthermore, lithium prices have fallen 80% over the past two years and are estimated to continue declining through 2030, leading some to argue that the project’s feasibility is unclear from an economic standpoint. In 2022, in response to protests, the government announced the cancellation of the mining permit, and it appeared the project had come to an end. However, a court ruled that canceling the mining permit was unconstitutional, and when the Serbian government restarted the project in July 2024, it fueled public anger. Protests are ongoing.

Learn more about other issues facing Serbia → “Kosovo and Serbia: What lies ahead?“

Learn more about global issues from mineral resource extraction → “Mineral resources and the world: Where do the benefits go?“

Protest against lithium mining in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia (Photo: Emilijaknezevic / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY 4.0])