Residents of a small village in western Serbia are staunchly opposing a government-backed plan to open a lithium mine in their fertile valley, despite an agreement with the European Union. Zlatko Kokanović, a 48-year-old farmer, is determined to prevent the mine from opening, even if it means risking his life.
“All of us here are ready to lose our lives,” Kokanović told The Associated Press. “They can shoot. That is the only way they can open the mine.”
The proposed mine would be located in the Jadar Valley, which contains one of Europe’s richest lithium deposits. Lithium is a crucial component for batteries used in electric vehicles and is vital for the global transition to green energy. However, the mine’s potential environmental impact has sparked widespread opposition, leading to mass protests and challenges to President Aleksandar Vučić’s administration.
While the Serbian government views the mine as an opportunity for economic development, critics argue it would cause irreversible damage to the Jadar Valley’s farmland, underground water reserves, and rivers. Thousands are expected to rally in Belgrade, demanding a law to ban lithium mining across Serbia. Kokanović and his group, “Ne Damo Jadar” (We Won’t Give Up Jadar), will be among them.
“We are not interested in their profits. We were raised on this land, and we will die on this land,” said Kokanović, who has five children. “This land belongs to our children.”
For the past two decades, multinational mining giant Rio Tinto has been exploring lithium and boron deposits in the Jadar Valley and has drafted plans to open a mine. The company has a controversial history, with allegations of corruption, environmental degradation, and human rights abuses at its sites around the world, raising concerns among local residents and environmental groups.
Mass protests in 2021 and 2022 led the Serbian government to temporarily halt the mine’s development, but the plan was revived in July when Serbia signed a memorandum on “critical raw materials” with the EU, in the presence of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Dubravka Djedović Handanović, Serbia’s mining and energy minister, emphasized that the Jadar Valley contains about 158 million tons of lithium, roughly 17% of Europe’s estimated reserves. She described Jadar as “one of the best-explored lithium sites in Europe and probably one of the best in the world,” arguing that it could position Serbia as a leader in the fight against climate change.
Handanović, who signed the EU memorandum, said any potential mining operations would adhere to the highest EU standards. She promised that the project would not proceed if it posed significant environmental risks, despite concerns raised by critics. The government has also established a call center and a medical team to monitor any potential health impacts.
While the mine could strengthen Serbia’s ties with the EU and reduce the bloc’s dependence on China for lithium, opponents argue that the environmental risks outweigh the benefits. Serbia, a candidate for EU membership, also maintains close relationships with Russia and China, with the latter owning the country’s largest copper mine.
Dragana Djordjević, a research professor at Belgrade University and an environmental chemistry expert, warns that the Jadar Valley, an agricultural area with frequent flooding, could spread toxic materials downstream, posing a “huge risk to the entire region.”
Rio Tinto has pledged to build an underground mine in compliance with EU safety standards. In a brief email to the AP, the company’s Serbian subsidiary expressed support for public dialogue based on facts and referred to a draft environmental study that invites public feedback.
The mine is not expected to open before 2028. President Vučić has dismissed the current anti-lithium protests as politically motivated, allegedly orchestrated by foreign powers against him and his government.
In the valley, properties owned by Rio Tinto’s Sava subsidiary are marked with “no trespassing” signs and sealed off with plastic tape. The proposed mine would cover approximately 500 acres of the valley, which is currently dotted with corn and soybean fields.
Vladan Jakovljević, a resident of the nearby village of Stupnica, is also committed to protecting his way of life. He fears that the mine’s opening would spell the end for his family’s healthy environment and his beekeeping livelihood.
“If the mine opens,” Jakovljević warned, “there would be no life for us.”
