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Rio Tinto's Serbia lithium job might take two years to approve, minister states

It could take Rio Tinto 2 years to obtain the authorizations it needs to begin building on its Jadar lithium job in Serbia, the nation's energy minister stated on Friday, as ecologists strategy fresh protests over the mine.

Last month, Serbia renewed Rio's licence to establish what would be Europe's biggest lithium mine in the western Jadar region, two years after the previous government halted the licensing process due to mad protests by ecological groups.

In order to move towards production at the site, the Australian mining group now needs to secure approvals which will hinge on its ecological impact study, Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic informed Reuters.

She stated the project was the among the most significant by accredited reserve, amounting to 158 million metric lots - comparable to 17% of overall European reserves of the silvery white metal important for making electrical vehicle batteries and in high need as the world shifts to green energy.

She said that it could take Rio Tinto up to 24 months to obtain the required permits before building work might begin.

How fast we will be ... is down to us. We have already lost 2 years. We might have been the very first in this race, she said.

If completed, the mine's yearly estimated production of 58,000 metric lots of lithium carbonate would be enough to make 1.1 million electrical cars and trucks, Djedovic Handanovic said.

The government reinstated the licence after the Constitutional Court ruled to restore the project, which environmentalists said would trigger massive contamination to the soil and water.

Following day-to-day rallies throughout the nation in previous weeks, the next major demonstration against lithium mining is scheduled in the capital, Belgrade, on Saturday.

Djedovic Handanovic questioned the protesters' intentions and said the demonstrations appeared more focused on challenging the government.

The arguments presented are aimed at ruining order ... on the streets under the guise of issue for ecology, she said.

On July 19, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and EU energy Commissioner Maros Sefcovic signed an offer protecting EU member state access to raw materials consisting of lithium from Serbia, which intends to join the bloc.

Djedovic Handanovic stated the offer would assist Serbia, which has resources of minerals including copper, zinc, lead, gold and lithium, access technical knowledge.

(source: Reuters)