The Geological Survey of India discovered “inferred sources” of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir, elevating hopes of India presumably growing its personal supply of a steel key to the its clear power objectives, though officers and consultants mentioned it’s unclear of a lot of can certainly be extracted.
Lithium is a non-ferrous steel and one of many key parts in lithium-ion batteries, the kind of power storage used most generally, from cellphones to electrical automobiles. Its discovery was in ore deposits recognized on the “preliminary exploration stage” (G3), which is the second of a four-step course of, based on the mines and minerals (improvement and exploration) act, 1957.
“That is for the primary time that Lithium reserves have been found within the nation and that too in Jammu and Kashmir,” mentioned Union mines secretary Vivek Bharadwaj mentioned whereas talking on the 62nd Central Geological Programming Board assembly in New Delhi on Thursday.
The ore containing lithium deposits was discovered within the Salal-Haimana space of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, which had one among 51 mineral blocks that had been recognized throughout 11 states by GSI discipline work carried out from 2018-19 to 2023.
“Lastly, Jammu and Kashmir has made historical past within the mining sector as we have now for the primary time the found crucial mineral lithium utilized in cell batteries and electrical automobiles. Congrats to all J&Ok residents because it has lastly introduced us on the worldwide map on this ongoing G20 Presidency 12 months,” mentioned Jammu and Kashmir mining secretary Amit Sharma mentioned.
Sharma mentioned that the state authorities had acquired the G3 research report and would now expedite additional motion. “We quickly anticipate to take it to the following stage of exploration,” Sharma mentioned.
In keeping with the mines and minerals act, the exploration for any mineral deposit includes 4 levels: reconnaissance survey (G4), preliminary exploration (G3), basic exploration (G2) and detailed exploration (G1). Sources recognized after G4 are referred to as ‘reconnaissance mineral useful resource”, these recognized after G3 are “inferred mineral useful resource”, G2 results in “indicated mineral useful resource” and G4 precedes “measured mineral useful resource.”
This means that the deposits present in Reasi are estimates “of portions which are inferred, primarily based on interpretation of geological, geophysical, geochemical and geo-technical investigation outcomes.”
In different phrases, the estimates are early.
Officers of the state mining division mentioned that they had been within the technique of growing a roadmap for scientific exploration, and that the realm the place the mine had been recognized was hilly and, round 23 kilometres from the Reasi district headquarters.
“Initially, we discovered bauxite within the ore however in additional surveys we found lithium, titanium and aluminium in it as effectively. We discovered that lithium had the best content material,” mentioned Shafiq Ahmed, district mining officer, Reasi.
Ahmed mentioned the realm has each forest and personal land, the Chenab river flowing shut by, 50 to 60 houses, the next secondary faculty and a highway that connects Reasi and Mahore. “The realm hasn’t been fenced. The federal government might need to rehabilitate the individuals,” he mentioned.
The following step, Ahmed added, was for the state authorities to conduct an e-auction. “The best bidder will probably be given the contract for its exploration,” Ahmed mentioned.
“The invention of lithium is assuring. Nevertheless, the reserves are labeled as being within the inferred class, which signifies its low stage of confidence. Earlier than going ahead, there’s a have to be a preliminary discovering through precise extraction to verify its feasibility and convert this estimated useful resource to the exploitable class with a excessive diploma of confidence stage and discover its possibilities of augmenting it,” mentioned Aarti Khosla, director, Local weather Tendencies, a research-based consulting and capability constructing initiative.
She mentioned, “If this found lithium reserve might be extracted, these deposits will give an enormous push in direction of the implementation of electrical automobile plans in India and lead India in a really sturdy place through changing into self-reliant in growing know-how round it.”
A second knowledgeable agreed.
“Presently, the hovering demand for lithium in India (which is primarily pushed by lithium-ion batteries being a key element of EV manufacturing) is basically catered by way of imports of lithium, which has been upscaling the prices of lithium-based product manufacturing,” mentioned Rudra Pandey, associate, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, describing the invention as “presumably pathbreaking” for the Indian financial system.
“However the beneficial influence of such a discovery on the Indian financial system, it’s to be famous that the lithium found is in preliminary exploration stage and the extraction of such lithium could also be difficult when it comes to cost-implications and the environmental impacts the method may cause,” Pandey added.