Meanwhile in Serbia...‘This is an end’: Serbia revokes Rio...

Meanwhile in Serbia...

‘This is an end’: Serbia revokes Rio Tinto’s lithium mine licences

Australian miner Rio Tinto’s plans to build a new lithium project have been thrown into disarray after Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic revoked the company’s permits.

Rio Tinto is seeking to develop the $US2.4 billion ($3.3 billion) Jadar mine in western Serbia as part of its foray into lithium, a sought-after battery raw material that will be needed in increasingly vast quantities as carmakers roll out millions of electric vehicles in coming years.

However, the project has been facing intensifying local opposition in Serbia and large-scale protests in recent months, with campaigners calling on the government to cancel the project amid concerns about the potentially harmful environmental impact of mining in the agricultural region.

The decision to revoke Rio Tinto’s licences comes with the Serbian government under significant public pressure ahead of a general election in April. Relations between Serbia and Australia have also deteriorated since the deportation of unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic.“

We are listening to our people and it is our job to protect their interests even when we think differently,” Ms Brnabic told reporters.

From today's SMH.

Paul Cronin is switched onto the importance of obtaining social license and of staying clear of politics.