5.9MN TONNES LITHIUM DEPOSITS FOUND IN J&K
WHY IN NEWS ?
- The Geological Survey of India (GSI) said on Thursday it has found lithium deposits for the first time in the country.
MORE ABOUT THE NEWS
- The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has established “inferred” lithium resources of 5.9 million tonnes in Salal-Haimana area of Reasi District of Jammu and Kashmir.
- These resources have been established as part of the “Reasi Sersandu-Kherikot-Rahotkot-Darabi” mineral block, where prospecting has been ongoing since 2021-22.
- The lithium find in J&K is comparatively small, considering the reserves in Bolivia are 21 million tonnes, 17 million tonnes in Argentina, 6.3 million tonnes in Australia, and 4.5 million tonnes in China.
- Most of the lithium reserves are concentrated in South America mainly in countries Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. These 3 countries are called the Lithium Triangle. But they are not the top producers of lithium in the world.
- China produces 75% of the world’s lithium. Rather than production, China is doing the refining business.
- The latest lithium find is categorised as “inferred”.
- The “inferred” mineral resource is the part of a resource for which quantity, grade and mineral content are estimated only with a low level of confidence based on information gathered from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that may be of limited or uncertain quality, and also of lower reliability from geological evidence.
BENEFITS OF NEW FOUND RESERVES
- The find will serve as a major boost to the manufacture of rechargeable batteries for smartphones, laptops and electric cars in the country.
- The country currently imports all its lithium needs.
- Currently, India is almost entirely dependent on import of these cells and the move to ink sourcing pacts for lithium is seen as another salvo in the front against imports from China, the major source of both the raw material and cells.
- Over 165 crore lithium batteries are estimated to have been imported into India between FY17 and FY20 at an estimated import bill of upwards of $3.3 billion.
SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
SYLLABUS: PRELIMS
