Jadarite was confirmed as a new mineral after scientists at the Natural History Museum in London and the National Research Council of Canada conducted tests on it.

The prototype facility has been constructed by the scientists from Serbia, Australia, and USA, and is being tested in Melbourne.

[12] On 25 July 2017 a memorandum was signed by Rio Tinto and the Government of Serbia, represented by the prime minister Ana Brnabić, which confirmed the year 2023 as the starting year, but also revealed that only now the working groups will be formed, studies will be conducted, and the process of issuing the permits will begin.

[13] By 2020, future exploitation of jadarite and extraction of lithium instigated heated public and academic debate, especially after Rio Tinto's destruction of the Juukan Gorge in Australia.

Environmentalists, local population and some scientists and professors are against it, citing usage of large quantities of water and various acids and other chemicals in the production process, which will contaminate 2,000 ha (4,900 acres) of fertile, arable land, salinize the underground waters and pollute the rivers of Jadar and Drina.

The company itself stated it will employ a new, experimental process which prevents pollution and which was tested 2,000 times in Australia.