In what could turn out to be a major boost for India’s push towards electric vehicles (EVs), the government has said that the Geological Survey of India has for the first time established Lithium inferred resources (G3) of 5.9 million tonnes in Salal-Haimana area of Reasi District of Jammu & Kashmir.
Lithium is a non-ferrous metal and is one of the key components in EV batteries.
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Mines are in G3 stage
This is the first time Lithium inferred resources have been found in India.
According to the government the mines are at the preliminary exploration stage (also called G3).
“For the first time, lithium reserves have been discovered and that too in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mines Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj said.
Currently, India is import-dependent on many minerals like lithium, nickel and cobalt.
Could make India self-reliant
Bharadwaj also said that critical minerals are required everywhere, whether it is a mobile phone or a solar panel.
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In order to become self-reliant, it is very important for the country to find out critical minerals and also process it, he said.
Gold, coal and other mines handed over to states
The Ministry of Mines said on Thursday that 51 mineral blocks, including Lithium and Gold, were handed over to respective state governments.
AFP
Out of these 51 mineral blocks, 5 blocks pertains to gold and other blocks pertains to commodities lke potash, molybdenum, base metals etc. spread across 11 states of Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. The blocks were prepared based on the work carried out by GSI from field seasons 2018-19 to till date.
Apart from these, 17 reports of Coal and Lignite with a total resource of 7897 million tonnes were also handed over to the Ministry of Coal.
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