Geological Survey of India (GSI) recently unearthed 5.9 million tonnes of lithium “inferred” resources in the Salal-Haimana region of Jammu & Kashmir, a first of its kind finding in India. Lithium is a crucial mineral used in electric vehicles (EVs), laptops, mobile phones batteries, and thermonuclear reactions.
Understanding Inferred Resources
Inferred resources refer to the estimated quantity, grade, and mineral content of a resource with low confidence levels. Such estimates are based on information collected from outcrops, trenches, pits, workings, and drill holes that may not be entirely reliable due to their limited or uncertain quality. The classification of inferred resources comes from the United Nations International Framework Classification for Reserves/Resources – Solid Fuels and Mineral Commodities of 1997 (UNFC-1997).
About UNFC-1997
The UNFC-1997 is an internationally recognized system developed by the UN Economic Commission for Europe for the classification and reporting of reserves and resources of solid fuels and mineral commodities. It promotes transparency and consistency in reporting mineral and energy assets by ensuring consistent usage of geological, engineering, and economic information. It also offers a basis for comparing reserves and resources data between different countries and regions.
Lithium: A Vital Resource
Lithium, sometimes referred to as ‘White gold’ due to its high demand, is a soft and silvery-white metal. Lithium can be extracted either through solar evaporation of large brine pools or hard-rock extraction of the ore. Lithium is a vital component of electrochemical cells used in batteries of EVs, laptops, mobile phones, etc. It’s also essential for making alloys with aluminium and magnesium to improve their strength and make them lighter.
Global and Indian Lithium Reserves
Chile, Australia, and Argentina are the leading countries with lithium reserves. In India, a preliminary survey indicated estimated lithium reserves of 14,100 tonnes in Southern Karnataka’s Mandya district. Other potential sites include Mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Pegmatite belts in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, and Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.
India’s Lithium Demand and Supply
Currently, India relies on imports for its lithium demand. Between FY17 and FY20, over 165 crore lithium batteries were imported into India, costing over $3.3 billion. With the expected disruption in the EV sector, including potential improvements to lithium-ion technology, 2023 is considered a significant turning point.
The Impact of the Lithium Discovery
The lithium discovery can help India achieve its targets of reducing emissions towards net zero by 2070. These targets necessitate large quantities of lithium for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The Central Electricity Authority of India has projected that the country will need 27 GW of grid-scale battery energy storage systems by 2030. Additionally, this discovery can address global lithium shortages due to the rising demand for EVs and rechargeable batteries, estimated to reach 2 billion by 2050.
About Geological Survey of India (GSI)
Currently attached to the Ministry of Mines, GSI was established in 1851 primarily to discover coal deposits for the Railways. Over time, it expanded its role and now serves as a repository of geo-science information and a geo-scientific organization of international repute. GSI is headquartered in Kolkata and has regional offices in Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, and Shillong. Each state in India also has a state unit.
Role of Lithium in UPSC Civil Services Examination
In the 2008 UPSC Civil Services Examination, a question was asked about the lightest and heaviest metals. Being the lightest known metal, lithium featured in this question. This highlights the significance of lithium and its implications for civil services aspirants.
