Rio Tinto is exploring parts of western Serbia for jadarite — a substance, found along the Jadar River, that contains both lithium and boron. Lithium (used to power hybrid and electrical vehicles, cell phones, laptop computers and other devices) is found primarily in Chile and Argentina; therefore, miners are interested in reserves found under different geopolitical conditions. Rio Tinto reportedly has conducted prospecting at more than three dozen sites and has plans to drill in about a dozen more by year-end. Production could begin in 2014.
