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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

"Jadar" project of strategic importance for Serbia

Belgrade, 16 December 2020

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today with General Manager of Rio Tinto for Borates and Lithium Marnie Finlayson and the Director of Rio Sava Exploration Vesna Prodanovic about the continuation of the Jadar project and progress in preparing a feasibility study for which the company approved an additional $200 million in 2020.

Thus, the total investment of "Rio Tinto" in the research and development of the "Jadar" project exceeds $450 million.

At the meeting, Brnabic emphasised that the development of the "Jadar" project is of exceptional importance for Serbia and Loznica, and that more than 2,100 workers will be hired only in the phase of construction of mines and processing plants.

According to her, when it is completed, the "Jadar" project will be a modern underground mine with an efficient Jadarite processing plant, as well as all the necessary plants for sustainable waste management.

She pointed out that by applying the most modern technologies that "Rio Tinto" has developed for the processing of jadarite, special attention will be paid to the protection of the environment.

The Prime Minister added that she was satisfied with the progress of the feasibility study, which, in cooperation with the local community in Loznica, started the process of buying the land on which the future mine and factory for processing jadarite will be built.

The "Jadar" project, which is being developed in Serbia by the international mining and metal group "Rio Tinto", is of strategic importance for Serbia both because of the exploitation of lithium and borate from jadarite, and because of the overall impact of this project on the development of green economy in Serbia.

Namely, this project implies the development of a modern, technologically advanced and sustainable mine and Jadarite processing plant for a period of at least 50 years, with a direct impact on GDP and the development of a sustainable economy in Serbia, it was stated at the meeting.

The interlocutors agreed that the cooperation and partnership of the company "Rio Tinto", the government of Serbia and local communities are of key importance for the success of the "Jadar" project.

It was especially emphasised that special attention and importance will be paid to environmental protection, because the modern mine and Jadarite processing plant include plants for sustainable waste management and the most modern wastewater treatment plant, so that untreated water will not be discharged into rivers.