Lithium is a key component in the production of batteries for electric vehicles
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has recently made a groundbreaking discovery in Jammu and Kashmir, estimating an inferred resource of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore in the Salal-Haimna areas of Reasi district.

This comes after the GSI carried out a G3 stage mineral exploration project during Field Season 2020-21 and 2021-22. The report has been handed over to the Government of Union Territory of J&K.

Lithium is a key component in the production of batteries for electric vehicles and other energy storage applications. The discovery of such a large reserve of lithium ore in Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to greatly benefit the country's efforts towards green energy and sustainability.

The GSI has proposed to carry out further exploration activities in J&K to identify more lithium resources. The estimated value of lithium in J&K will be determined on completion of further exploration, Union Minister of Mines, Coal and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi said in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

The GSI generates baseline geoscience data through mapping, such as geological, geochemical, and geophysical data, which is a pre-requisite for identifying potential areas for systematic mineral exploration. Based on this mapping data, the GSI carries out systematic mineral exploration activities for various major mineral commodities, including lithium.

In part of Jammu and Kashmir, as a follow-up of lithium exploration in the Salal-Haimna areas of Reasi district, the GSI has taken up another reconnaissance G4 stage exploration program on lithium and associated minerals in the Panasa-Dugga-Baldhanun-Chakar-Sangarmarg (Saro-da-Bas) area of Reasi district during the current field season 2022-23, and the work is in progress.

Based on the mapping outcome, more exploration programs on various mineral commodities, including lithium, will be taken up in the future in different parts of the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, the government's reply in Lok Sabha said.

The discovery of such a large reserve of lithium ore in Jammu and Kashmir is a significant development for India, which has been seeking to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and increase its use of clean energy.

This discovery is also expected to attract investment in the region and create job opportunities. The government's focus on exploring and developing mineral resources in the country will not only help to meet the country's growing demand for these resources but also provide a boost to the Indian economy.

The news of the discovery of lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir has been welcomed by experts and industry insiders alike. They believe that this discovery has the potential to transform the energy landscape of the country, as it will help to increase the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and other energy storage applications.

The discovery of lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to make India a major player in the global lithium market, which is currently dominated by countries like Australia, Chile, and Argentina. This development is an important step towards making India a self-sufficient and sustainable economy, and it is expected to have far-reaching impacts in the years to come.