For the first time, the Geological Survey of India identified 5.9 million tonnes of inferred resources (G3) of lithium, which is used to make electric vehicle (EV) batteries, at Salal-Haimana in Jammu & Kashmir’s Reasi district.
Non-ferrous metal lithium is a critical component of EV batteries. India presently imports the majority of its minerals, including lithium, nickel and cobalt.
The government is taking several proactive initiatives to get minerals, particularly lithium, from Australia and Argentina. This is done to strengthen the critical mineral supply chain for emerging technologies.
Important minerals are required everywhere, whether it be for a solar panel or a cell phone. For the country to become self-sufficient, it is essential to discover important minerals and then process them.
Countries such as Argentina, Bolivia and Chile have 50% of the lithium deposits, which is where the majority of the reserves are located.
Amit Sharma, J&K mining secretary, stated that Jammu and Kashmir has created mining history by discovering the essential mineral lithium, which is utilised in mobile and EV batteries.
Since lithium batteries have a high power-to-weight ratio and can offer a lot of power while keeping the curb weight of the car low, they are the sole option for electric vehicles.
It is also more energy-efficient and performs better in a range of temperatures. Lithium batteries are therefore more reliable and safe.
The discovery of lithium reserves is significant since the mineral is critical to India's goal of increasing EV penetration by 30% by 2030. Currently, electric vehicles account for less than 1% of all new automobiles sold in the country.