Thousands demand halt to Rio Tinto's lithium project in Serbia

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people gathered in central Belgrade on Saturday demanding a halt to Rio Tinto's lithium project in Western Serbia over fears it could pollute nearby land and water.

Protesters packed the streets leading to Terazije square, waving Serbian flags and chanting "You will not dig," and "Rio Tinto leave Serbia!"

Government officials said the protests were politically motivated and designed to bring down President Aleksandar Vucic and his government.

Zlatko Kokanovic, a protest leader and farmer from the Jadar region where the mine is planned, urged protesters to block two major train stations in Belgrade.

Last month, Serbia reinstated Rio's licence to develop what would be Europe's biggest lithium mine, two years after the previous government halted the process due to concerns by environmental groups.

The decision triggered nationwide protests in towns across Serbia. Protesters gave the government a deadline to ban the exploration and exploitation of lithium which expired on Saturday.

"We are not going to give up. The mine cannot be built on agricultural land," said Mica Miliovanovic, a 63-year old worker. "This does not have anything to do with politics."

On Friday, Vucic said authorities had received information from Russia that a coup was being planned in Serbia.

"We have reason to be cautious," vice premier Aleksandar Vulin told Tanjug news agency on Saturday.

If implemented, the $2.4 billion Jadar lithium project could cover 90% of Europe's current lithium needs and make Rio Tinto one of the world's leading lithium producers.

Lithium is a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and mobile devices.

Government officials say the lithium mine would boost Serbia's economy, but environmentalists say the price for it would be too high.

On July 19, Vucic, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and EU energy commissioner Maros Sefcovic signed a deal that would grant producers from EU member states access to raw materials mined in Serbia, which would include lithium.

The deal is meant to reduce the EU's dependency on imports from America and Asia.

(Reporting by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Christina Fincher)