October
Rio Tinto’s Serbian lithium pain might be Argentina’s gain
After two decades of work to build a lithium and borates mine in Serbia, Rio Tinto has taken its billions elsewhere. Is this the end of Europe’s lithium dream?
- Peter Ker
January
Rio Tinto boss meets Serbian president in push to revive $3.7b mine
Belgrade withdrew Rio’s mining licence for the Jadar lithium project two years ago, but Jakob Stausholm is looking to capitalise on electoral results.
- Hans van Leeuwen
October 2023
Raging fires in Victoria’s east as south-east swelters
Southeastern Australia is set to swelter in a heat wave that raised the risk of bushfires; the government will crack down on sham enrolments in university courses; NZ PM forced to isolate with COVID-19 in blow to campaign. See how the day unfolded.
- Updated
- Andrew Hobbs
August 2023
While Ukraine distracts the world, trouble brews in Serbia
The country’s leader, Aleksandar Vucic, is notorious for his widespread influence throughout the Balkans and for his rumoured links to organised crime.
- Sandra Hall
December 2021
Rio Tinto pledges public dialogue over $3.3b Serbian lithium mine
The project in the Jadar Valley would have been Europe’s biggest for the metal, but it has come under sustained fire from environmental groups.
- Updated
August 2021
Rio Tinto-led plan for lithium mine sparks protests in Serbia
Opposition is growing in Serbia as environmentalists and farmers unite against Rio’s Jadar lithium mine - which will be the biggest of its kind in Europe when completed.
- Ivana Sekularac and Aleksandar Vasovic
July 2021
Rio Tinto dangles $US2.4b lithium carrot in front of Serbia
The resources giant would operate Europe’s biggest lithium mine by 2026 under a $US2.4 billion promise to nervous regulators in Serbia.
- Peter Ker
October 2019
- Analysis
- World elections
Ignore the Polish election result at your peril
Events in Central Europe have a habit of surging up unexpectedly to help overthrow long-established orders.
- Clare Birgin