Photo: Marš sa Drine
Rio Tinto’s Serbian subsidiary Rio Sava Exploration submitted a request on September 17 to determine the scope and content of the environmental impact assessment study required for an underground lithium and boron mining endeavor in the Jadar area in the country’s west.
The study pertains to plots within the cadastral municipalities of Gornje Nedeljice, Brnjac, Veliko Selo, Jarebice, Slatina, Stupnica, and Šurice in the territory of the city of Loznica. The locations are within the spatial plan for the special purpose area for the proposed exploitation and processing of the jadarite mineral within the Jadar deposit.
Regulatory Institute for Renewable Energy and Environmental Protection (RERI), a nongovernmental organization, has criticized the approach, accusing the company of “salami slicing” the project into smaller parts to avoid a comprehensive environmental impact assessment for the entire operation. The entire Jadar investment would include a plant for processing jadarite – a unique lithium and boron ore – and the disposal of tailings and so-called poor ore.
RERI argued that dividing the project conceals its cumulative impacts and undermines the credibility of claims that it adheres to the European Union’s highest environmental standards.
In November, after analyzing the requirements and 149 proposals, opinions, and comments received during the public review, the Ministry of Environmental Protection determined the scope and content for the mining segment.
Rio Tinto must detail all potential cumulative environmental impacts of the project in the study.
According to the document, Rio Tinto must comprehensively present all potential cumulative environmental impacts of the project in the study. Additionally, for each identified potential impact, the company is required to explicitly list mitigation measures and monitoring systems.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection said that if the company decides to proceed, the environmental impact assessment study must thoroughly detail and explain the implementation of the best available technologies and techniques. To ensure a specific and detailed elaboration of all environmental protection conditions, the study needs to be based on the main mining project and align with best practices established in the European Union.
Rio Tinto has a deadline of one year to submit the environmental impact assessment study to the ministry.
Marš sa Drine: The decision is unlawful, bypasses public participation
Environmentalist group Marš sa Drine, part of the Association of Environmental Organizations of Serbia (SEOS), claims that the Ministry of Environmental Protection’s decision is unlawful and that it favors Rio Tinto over public and environmental interests. It urged citizens to join a lawsuit against it.
The group listed several alleged illegalities including failure to assess cumulative environmental impacts, lack of public participation, incomplete project documentation, and violations of Serbian laws and international conventions.
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