Rio Tinto (RIO) is intensifying its efforts to gain public support in Serbia for Europe’s largest lithium mine. According to a Financial Times report, this campaign addresses strong public opposition due to environmental concerns. Recently, a national poll showed that nearly two-thirds of the Serbian population opposes the development of the Jadar Valley mine.

To counter this sentiment, the company is engaging in a robust publicity initiative. Rio Tinto is organizing public presentations, conferences with local residents, and media appearances. These efforts aim to highlight the economic benefits for Serbia while addressing environmental and health concerns.

Chad Blewitt, Rio Tinto’s managing director for Serbia, emphasized that the discourse on economic advantages cannot proceed without addressing environmental impacts. Earlier this month, CEO Jakob Stausholm advocated for the project in a televised town hall event with Serbia’s President Vucic. Initially, Rio Tinto estimated the cost of the Jadar mine at $2.4 billion, which has potentially increased to over $3 billion due to inflation and currency changes, Barclays reports.

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