Serbian scientists find environmental damage far exceeds benefits of lithium mining

A group of Serbian scientists have shown in an analysis that lithium mining in western Serbia, in a populated and fertile agricultural area, is not profitable considering all the environmental risks.

Dragana Đorđević, Jovan M. Tadić, Branimir Grgur, Ratko Ristić, Sanja Sakan, Jelena Brezjanović, Vladimir Stevanović, and Bogdan Šolaja published the paper ‘The Impact of Exploration Activities of a Potential Lithium Mine on the Environment in Western Serbia’ in the scientific journal Nature.

They concluded that the extraction and processing of lithium in the Jadar river valley, planned by Rio Tinto, could significantly harm the environment, with a devastating impact on groundwater and soil, leading to loss of biodiversity and accumulation of large amounts of hazardous waste.

A lithium mine can destroy the livelihood of about 20,000 locals

“The construction of the mine and processing plant, within the same industrial complex, for the extraction of lithium and boron, would destroy the livelihood of about 20,000 local community residents who already earn very well,” the study reads.

The company claims it would adhere to environmental protection standards, but the local community is very concerned about the potential consequences.

The lithium deposit in the Jadar valley constitutes less than 1% of the global reserves of the metal

“The lithium deposit in Western Serbia is not worth mining in terms of environmental risks because it is the only one in the world where lithium extraction is planned in a populated and fertile agricultural area and, most importantly, it will certainly destroy the one of only three water-bearing areas in Serbia”, the scientists claimed.

Commonly accepted measures for mitigating climate change involve adopting low-carbon technologies, which largely rely on lithium ion and other batteries. The study also emphasizes that the said deposit constitutes less than 1% of global lithium reserves and thus does not offer sufficient quantities to tackle climate change on a global scale.

Lithium carbonate production generates huge amounts of wastewater

“The big problem related to the exploitation of lithium in the world is the aggressive chemical extraction process that involves huge amount of concentrated mineral acids, primarily concentrated sulfuric acid. The consumption of enormous amount of water to produce lithium carbonate consequently would generate vast amounts of wastewater which would be of great permanent polluting threat to the surface and underground water”, the analysis adds.

That’s why lithium mines are generally located far from populated areas, such as those in the deserts of China, Chile, Australia, Canada, and the United States, the group pointed out. As for the rest of Europe, one lithium mine in a populated area is planned in Portugal, according to the document.

Exploratory drilling has already led to environmental damage

Findings presented in the study show that exploratory drilling has already led to environmental damage, with increased levels of harmful substances detected in nearby rivers and soil. Research has revealed significantly elevated downstream concentrations of boron, arsenic, and lithium in nearby rivers compared to upstream findings.

“With the opening of the mine, problems will be multiplied by the tailings pond, mine wastewater, noise, air pollution, and light pollution, endangering the lives of numerous local communities and destroying their freshwater sources, agricultural land, livestock, and assets”, the scientists warn.

It is crucial to prioritize environmental protection and public health to ensure a sustainable future

Although lithium appears to play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a huge amount of fossil fuel energy is consumed in the process of producing lithium carbonate from ores, resulting in the release of significant amount of carbon dioxide, the authors explained. Therefore the activity does not contribute to cutting emissions, the document adds.

The scientists stressed the importance of considering the perspectives of various stakeholders including mining companies, activists, and government officials, when making decisions about mining and resource use. They noted that uncontrolled competition for resource control can have long-term consequences for the environment and future generations.

“It is true that economic benefits associated with mining projects may arise, it’s critical to prioritize environmental protection and public health in order to ensure the sustainable future”, they concluded.