India has made a groundbreaking discovery of 5.9 million tones of lithium reserves in the Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir. The rare mineral is an essential component in the manufacturing of electric vehicles and rechargeable batteries for devices such as smartphones and laptops.
Lithium has so far largely been found in countries like Chile (pictured above), Australia and Argentina
So far, India has been relying on imports of lithium from Australia and Argentina, but the new discovery could help India achieve its goal of increasing the number of private electric vehicles by 30% by 2030. This is part of the country's efforts to tackle global warming by reducing carbon emissions.
The Geological Survey of India found the lithium deposits, as per the
Ministry of Mines, and the demand for rare metals like lithium is growing
globally as countries seek greener solutions to slow down climate change. In
2023, China signed a $1 billion deal to develop Bolivia's massive lithium
reserves, estimated at 21 million tones and the largest in the world.
According to the World Bank, mining crucial minerals such as lithium
will need to increase by 500% to meet global climate targets by 2050. However,
the process of mining lithium is not environmentally friendly. Lithium is
extracted from hard rocks and underground brine reservoirs primarily found in
Australia, Chile, and Argentina.
After extraction, the mineral is roasted using fossil fuels, leading to
scarring of the landscape and releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere. In water-scarce regions like Argentina, the extraction of
lithium from underground reservoirs also requires a large amount of water,
causing protests from indigenous communities who claim that such activity is
depleting natural resources and leading to water shortages.
India has been re-orienting its exploration measures to meet its goal of
improving its supply of rare metals required for new technologies. Smaller
deposits of lithium were found in the southern state of Karnataka in 2021, and
the recent discovery in Jammu and Kashmir could significantly aid India's push
towards a greener future.
In conclusion, the
discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium reserves in India is a significant
step forward in the country's efforts to reduce carbon emissions and increase
the number of electric vehicles. The demand for rare metals like lithium is
growing globally, and India's re-orientation of its exploration measures could
lead to more discoveries in the future. However, it is important to note that
the process of mining lithium is not environmentally friendly, and alternatives
need to be explored to minimize its impact on the environment.