Rio Tinto Suspends Jadar Lithium Project in Serbia Amid Permitting Delays
Rio Tinto has placed its $2.95 billion Jadar lithium project in Serbia on care and maintenance, following continued regulatory delays and community resistance. The company announced the suspension as part of a broader operational review, aimed at prioritizing projects with clearer near-term potential and streamlining its business divisions.
The Jadar project, which contains high-grade lithium resources, has not yet reached production. Progress has been hampered by inconsistent government support and significant local opposition, preventing the project from advancing through the permitting process. Rio Tinto emphasized that further investment in the project is not sustainable under current conditions.
- Project value: $2.95 billion; resource: lithium
- Permitting delays and local opposition cited as primary obstacles
- Rio Tinto, Serbia; project remains on care and maintenance
