Geologist Branislav Božović: Serbia Must Choose Between Profit and a Sustainable Future

Biography

Branislav Božović

Branislav Božović is a geological engineer specializing in engineering geology and hydrogeology. From 1971 to 2000, he worked at the Geological Research Institute of Serbia (Geozavod), where he gained extensive experience in geological research.

From 2000 to 2008, he served as Secretary of the Secretariat for Environmental Protection of the City of Belgrade, and from 2008 to 2010, as Head of the Environmental Quality Monitoring Department.

A significant part of his career was dedicated to eco-geological research, or environmental geology. He is the author and co-author of numerous engineering and eco-geological projects, particularly in the field of geological research.

As a member of the national team of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, he participated in drafting the new environmental protection system law from 2001 to 2003.

He is a lecturer at numerous seminars in the field of environmental protection, with a special focus on geological conditions and the importance of geodiversity and geoheritage.

Interview

Geologist Branislav Božović: Serbia Must Choose Between Profit and a Sustainable Future

In the latest episode of the documentary series “Lithium: Experts Speak,” geologist Branislav Božović openly discusses the state of Serbia’s mining sector, the environmental consequences of raw material exploitation, and the role of foreign companies in projects like “Jadar.” Božović warns that Serbia is at a crossroads—between short-term profit and the long-term preservation of natural resources and public health.

Mr. Božović, good afternoon and welcome. To start, I’ll ask you to answer five quick questions that we ask all our guests. Please respond in one or two sentences, and we’ll later discuss each topic in more detail. So, first—do you know of any place in the world where lithium mining is planned on fertile land?

I don’t know for certain, but it’s very likely—primarily in poorer countries that can’t defend themselves from large investors.

Do you think that lithium exploitation in Jadar can be done in an environmentally acceptable way?

In your opinion, should natural resources be preserved for future generations, including key resources such as a healthy environment and water?

Can any company guarantee that toxic substances will not leak in the event of mining in Jadar, and that there will be no environmental pollution?

Are you personally against mining as an industry?

Thank you for answering this first set of questions. Let’s now focus on your work in geology. For starters, let’s inform our viewers that you graduated from the Faculty of Mining and Geology. You’ve already said you’re not against mining. How would you assess the current state of mining in Serbia, and what type of mining do you advocate for?

In our previous conversation, you mentioned that you support sustainable mining and a moderate approach to intensive mining. Can you elaborate?

Yes, certainly. Let me first point out something unfortunate—the term sustainable only gained prominence in the last few decades, especially after the famous Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in the 1990s. Sustainability was always meant to refer to development that is balanced—economically, energetically, and environmentally. But now, the term is often mocked by those who promote uncontrolled growth.

I emphasize, as do many of my colleagues, that sustainable mining means a harmonized approach in exploration, exploitation, and adherence to environmental standards. It’s not just about extracting value from the ground while leaving destruction behind. This approach is not only necessary—it’s possible.

Why do you insist on that approach?

You mentioned a 30-year plan to extract the full quantity of lithium from Jadar. What’s your view on that?

Such a plan is deadly—both in the human time frame and beyond. The harmful materials, dust, heavy metals—they remain in the soil, air, and water. Future generations will suffer.

Take a trip to Bor or Majdanpek, and you’ll see how people live there now. It’s neglected, degraded, and even simple environmental mitigation measures were not applied. Once a site is devastated, it can’t be restored. Rivers and entire ecosystems are affected.

We now have two major mining hotspots in Serbia—gold mining in Homolje, and the proposed jadarite mining in western Serbia. Even before full operations begin, we’re already seeing pollution—especially of water and air.

In Eastern Serbia, some of our most valuable underground water reserves—springs we used to admire as tourist destinations—are under threat. Entire mountains like Starica above Majdanpek, once a symbol and natural protector of the town, have been destroyed. The gold ore isn't even processed here—it’s shipped abroad, to China or Saudi Arabia. The same is expected for lithium from Austria.

What is your opinion on the fact that our natural resources are being handed over to foreign companies?

Based on what you just said, is there a disconnect between what’s written on paper and what actually happens in practice?

Absolutely. That’s part of the problem—lack of coordination and monitoring. Sustainable mining requires such coordination: how much is extracted, where it is stored, how it is stored, what profits are generated and shared. Today, much of that is treated as a state secret, which is unacceptable.

We used to protect strategic resources like a grandfather protects an orchard for his great-grandchildren. But now, these reserves are being emptied during just one or two political mandates.

There are categories of raw materials—certain metals and waters—that should not be so easily sold. I was trained with that mindset, and I still believe in it.

It seems that today everything is accelerated—resources are sold quickly for fast profit.

So how would you rate the current exploitation of natural resources in Serbia?

You’ve been conducting geological research for decades and have been to almost every region in Serbia. What sparked your interest in the Jadar project?

What matters more than lithium, more than jadarite or borates or any of that, is the overall value. When the topic of nickel came up, I asked those advocating for immediate nickel extraction in Mokra Gora whether they had assessed the total value of Šumadija? It’s not just about the market value of jadarite, as if that alone makes us millionaires. Have they calculated the overall value—economic, social, spiritual, cultural—for today and future generations, of Cer, Pocerina, Rađevina, and the large Jadar valley, where people have lived for centuries and where thousands live today?

Has anyone truly evaluated that? Because it’s guaranteed that this total value is much greater than the current market value of lithium, even if it were extracted and sold immediately, and the money spent on whatever is considered “urgent” today. But what about the future?

There's also a curious fact related to lithium in Jadar. According to maps of lithium deposits in Europe, Serbia holds less than 10% of global reserves. Why not focus mining efforts in countries with larger reserves?

Based on everything you’ve just said, do you believe lithium—or rather, jadarite—mining in Jadar would be an ecological catastrophe?

Even if the company didn’t monitor for 20 years, in your opinion, is environmental remediation even possible?

Can we return briefly to the topic of exploratory and, as you now say, exploratory-exploitation drilling, which is what’s currently happening? Could you explain more about the environmental impact of these activities, and whether Rio Tinto even has permits for them?

In the early years, Rio Tinto entered through the backdoor, taking over from previous companies who had been granted access to areas opened for public-private partnerships, concessions that were, unfortunately, poorly conceived. Their scope depended on whoever was in power at the time—let me not get into that sad part.

The point is, initially Rio Tinto didn’t hold the proper permits. But once activities began, a concept of exploratory-exploitation had to be established and supervised. They formed local companies, operated here, and did so under very weak inspection oversight. Not because the inspectors were bad—but because there weren’t enough of them.

There aren’t enough inspectors to regularly visit the field and keep records. Let me give you a comparison: my colleague Đajić, a geologist working on stone projects, was involved in inspecting the collapsed canopy structure in Novi Sad. He documented everything rigorously in his reports, even though no one paid attention at the time. But thanks to him, we later understood how oversight had failed.

This is how inspection systems used to work in Yugoslavia and, until recently, in Serbia. And we must get back to that.

Now, about the current situation: if someone had monitored these sites, tracked the number of boreholes, determined whether those zones were meant for pilot studies—we’d have known. But there were numerous boreholes, with visible signs like red sludge around them, and places where corn wouldn’t grow. That shows that additives were used—substances harmful to plant life. And these are farmlands.

Jadar is a treasure. Let’s be honest: honey from the forests of Jadar and Rađevina is exported to Norway. And they have excellent honey themselves! Locals have been exporting it for decades. Just think about that: the value of a ton of honey might exceed that of a ton of lithium. Do you understand what I’m saying? Let’s not even talk about the other agricultural riches of the region.

So someone has decided that lithium is an urgent priority, and that we urgently need money, and that’s it. But this needs to be explained further—not pushed through “over the knee.”

You mentioned the mining and geological profession, but what other disciplines should be involved in evaluating such a complex issue?

Now we come to a very important question about the study funded by Rio Tinto, meant to serve as their environmental assessment. Why should the company conducting the project be the one funding the study?

How concerned should the Serbian public actually be about the potential opening of the mine in Jadar?

And finally, could you share a concluding message or reflection on why it’s important to preserve natural resources in Jadar and across Serbia for future generations?

Thank you, Mr. Božović.

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