The influence of exploration activities of a potential lithium mine to the environment in Western Serbia

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 17090 - 9
• Main Authors: Đorđević, Dragana, Tadić, Jovan M., Grgur, Branimir, Ristić, Ratko, Sakan, Sanja, Brezjanović, Jelena, Stevanović, Vladimir, Šolaja, Bogdan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 24.07.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 704/172; 704/172/169; 704/844; 704/844/4081; Agricultural land; Agricultural wastes; Air pollution; Arsenic; Biodiversity; Biodiversity loss; Boron; Drilling; Environmental degradation; Environmental protection; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Groundwater; Humanities and Social Sciences; Light sources; Lithium; Livestock; Local communities; Mine drainage; Mine tailings; Mining; multidisciplinary; Noise pollution; Science; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Science (multidisciplinary); Soil remediation; Valleys; Wastewater treatment; Water use; Serbia
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68072-9

The proposed exploitation of the Jadar Valley lithium/borate deposit in Serbia, by the Rio Tinto Corporation, indicates that it would become large-scale processing of boron- and lithium-containing ore. It would be one of the world’s very first lithium mines in populated and agricultural area. The company claims that the envisioned mining will be in accordance with environmental protection requirements. The Jadar Valley deposits have been claimed to cover 90% of Europe’s current lithium needs. Yet, local opposition to the mining has arisen due to potential devastating impacts on groundwater, soil, water usage, biodiversity loss, and waste accumulation. Research drilling by the mining company has already produced environmental damage, with mine water containing high levels of boron leaking from exploratory wells and causing crops to dry out. Furthermore, our investigations reveal substantially elevated downstream concentrations of boron, arsenic, and lithium in nearby rivers as compared to upstream regions. Additionally, here we show that soil samples exhibit repeated breaches of remediation limit values with environmental consequences on both surface and underground waters. With the opening of the mine, problems will be multiplied by the tailings pond, mine wastewater, noise, air pollution, and light pollution, endangering the lives of numerous local communities and destroying their freshwater sources, agricultural land, livestock, and assets.