Chris Ellison, who has a large stake in the miner, said that the company set up offshore entities more than 20 years ago that supplied Mineral Resources with mining equipment.
The council of Loznica, population around 20,000 about 100 km west of Belgrade, is deciding whether to amend its official plan to allow the 250-hectare development.
US-based Atlas last year raised $27 million for its nickel technology and said it aims to launch production at sites in Canada or the US by 2027 at commercial scale.