Public notice regarding incorrect information about the Project Jadar

Information has appeared in the public that links the recent changes to the Law on Planning and Construction with the plans to continue the implementation of the "Jadar" project.

We hereby inform the interested public that such statements are completely incorrect, since the "Jadar" Project does not own any land that would be subject to the provisions of the aforementioned law related to the abolition of the land conversion fee.

We are currently finalizing the land acquisition processes for which negotiations began before the Special Purpose Area Spatial Plan for the Project Jadar was cancelled in January 2022. While we have stopped proactively engaging landowners on land acquisition, we are continuing to receive inquiries about the process. We carry out the purchase of land with the aim of ensuring that both parties benefit from this process and that the owners of the land have the same or better quality of life and work compared to the one before the move.

We have engaged with community members on the project and secured voluntary sales of land by 96% of landholders (50 out of 52) on the core project footprint, this includes nearly all permanent residents in this area agreeing to the purchase of their property without the use of any expropriation laws, and the support of these families and households to secure alternative housing and sustainable livelihoods in their selected location. All asset valuations have been carried out in line with International Finance Corporation (IFC) global standards.

Our current activities are part of previously undertaken commitments related to the completion of internal studies and they do not contravene the decision of the Government of Serbia on cancelation of the Decree on enactment of the Spatial plan of Special purpose for the Jadar Project.

During the work on the Project Jadar, we always operated in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Serbia, and we still do so today. After the acts for the implementation of the project were cancelled, we informed the public that as the owner of the land, we will continue to fulfill all our obligations towards the community, suppliers and our employees. There is a lot of misinformation about Rio Tinto and the Jadar Project. It is important for the public to be aware of the true facts, so that they can form an attitude and opinion based on them.

We invite all interested parties to reach out to Rio Sava Exploration for any additional requests for information or clarifications.