India has made a historic discovery with the finding of 59 million tonnes of lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time. Lithium is a light metal that is widely used in the production of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) conducted research and found the lithium reserves in the Salal-Haimana area of the Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir. The Ministry of Mines has transferred 51 mineral blocks, including lithium and gold, to the respective state governments across 11 states in the country.
The discovery of lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir is a promising development and the government is taking proactive measures to ensure a steady supply of critical minerals, including lithium, from Australia and Argentina to the technology sector. Despite importing several minerals, including lithium, nickel, and cobalt, the Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, Vivek Bhardwaj, believes that India has the potential to become self-sufficient in mineral resources. He stated that everything from mobile phones to solar panels requires minerals and that finding and refining critical minerals is essential for a country to become self-sufficient. He added that the country will achieve self-sufficiency if the import of gold decreased.
In conclusion, the discovery of lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir is a major milestone for India and a sign of the country’s potential to become self-sufficient in mineral resources. The government is taking steps to secure a steady supply of critical minerals to the technology sector and achieve its goal of self-sufficiency in the near future.
