Jadar, Serbia

Located in western Serbia, the Jadar lithium project is one of the largest greenfield lithium projects globally. The Jadar deposit comprises a new lithium sodium borosilicate mineral—jadarite— that was discovered by Rio Tinto geologists in 2004.

In July 2021, Rio Tinto committed $2.4 billion to the Jadar project in Serbia subject to receiving all relevant approvals, permits and licences and ongoing engagement with local communities, the Government of Serbia and civil society. 

Rio Tinto is committed to the batteries materials sector and lithium’s role in a low carbon future through the provision of battery grade lithium-carbonate for electric vehicles.

The next steps for the project are seeking an exploitation licence and receipt of regulatory approvals. This includes approval of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies, which will shortly be made available to the public for comment. The EIA is required for the commencement of works, with construction targeted to start in 2022.

The proposed development will include an underground mine with associated infrastructure and equipment, including electric haul trucks, as well as a beneficiation chemical processing plant to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate.

First saleable production from the mine is expected in 2026. Following ramp up to full production in 2029, the proposed mine will produce ~58,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate¹ annually, making Rio Tinto one of the top 10 lithium producers in the world. The Jadar project could supply enough lithium to power over one million electric vehicles per year². Over the expected 40-year life of the mine, the operation is estimated to produce 2.3 million tonnes of lithium carbonate.

Sustainability

Jadar is a combined mine and mineral processing greenfield project. When developed, Jadar will be a modern underground mine with an efficient processing plant and sustainable waste facilities. Jadarite will be mined using the best available techniques to secure the safety and sustainability of our mining and processing operations. We recognize that in progressing this project, we must listen to and respect the views of all stakeholders. We are committed to upholding the highest environmental standards and building sustainable futures for the communities we operate in. Read more about sustainability at Jadar ›

Investing in the future

Our Jadar project represents a significant investment for Serbia with both direct and indirect economic benefits and will become the country’s second largest exporter. Jadar will create highly-skilled, local jobs and procurement opportunities, while benefiting from our track record of innovation, including the shared knowledge of our Boron business in the United States, a world leader in borates.

Trusting, lasting relationships with Jadar-area communities is paramount to our work. We have dedicated channels of communication and regular engagement to help us understand community priorities, concerns, and expectations.  Learn more about our COVID-19 response  ›

Meet Nenad

Nenad Grubin is the leading geological researcher at Jader. Watch the video  ›