Scholz emphasizes the importance of lithium mining

High demand

"The demand for this raw material will be enormous and it is therefore important to realize as many projects as possible in Europe," said the Chancellor. There needs to be a high level of acceptance for mining locally. "This is because citizens are often concerned about whether such projects will have a negative impact on the environment." This is why high standards of environmental protection and sustainability are important.

At the end of August, Scholz had already visited Freiberg to find out about the project near Altenberg. It is intended to cover the annual demand for battery-grade lithium hydroxide of one million batteries for average-sized electric cars.

The EU agreed a lithium deal with Serbia in July. Together with EU Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, Scholz signed a declaration of intent in Belgrade to enable environmentally friendly extraction of the light metal in the Jadar Valley. Europe's largest lithium deposit is located there.