New Delhi, Feb 8 (PTI) The government on Thursday said lithium reserves have been found for the first time in the country in Jammu and Kashmir.
Lithium is a non-ferrous metal and is one of the key components in EV batteries.
“For the first time, lithium reserves have been discovered and that too in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mines Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj said. Upon exploration by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), lithium reserves have been found in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, the Mines Ministry had said that to strengthen the critical mineral supply chain for emerging technologies, the government was taking several proactive measures to secure minerals, including lithium, from Australia and Argentina.
According to Pankaj Sharma, Co-Founder and Director of Log9 Materials, “The unavailability of Lithium has been one of the reasons why India has been dependent on other countries for Li-Ion batteries and other EV components. Lithium being one of the core elements of the Li-Ion batteries and taking into consideration the financial impact of sourcing Lithium, the recent discovery of Lithium reserves in J&K will enable India’s ambition to become self-sufficient in its energy storage needs. At a time when the government has been catalysing initiatives toward EV battery manufacturing and green mobility to reach its ambitious net-zero goal by 2070, the report from the Geological Survey of India about the discovery brings hope for localized production of Li-ion cells and batteries, which will also go a long way in reducing our trade deficits with the neighbouring country.”
Currently, India is import-dependent for Lithium.
