A top government official said that the country’s first lithium reserve, discovered in Jammu and Kashmir, is of the highest quality, as jubilant villagers expressed hope for a bright future. The Geological Survey of India detected a 5.9-million-tonne resource of lithium, a critical mineral for the production of electric vehicles and solar panels, in the Reasi area (GSI).
“Lithium is a key material that was previously unavailable in India, leaving us entirely reliant on imports. The GSI’s G3 (advanced) analysis reveals the occurrence of high-quality lithium in abundance in the slopes of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Salal village (Reasi) “J-K Mining Secretary Amit Sharma stated.
He stated that, in comparison to the normal grade of 220 parts per million (PPM), the lithium found in J&K is of 500 ppm-plus grading, and that India will exceed China in availability with a stockpile of 5.9 million tonnes. “With this discovery, India has joined a small group of countries at the world level, and it will fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliance India),” he said.
According to Sharma, lithium is widely used, and its discovery during India’s G20 leadership presents a chance for J-K to demonstrate its significant deposits. When asked when the extraction might begin, he noted that each project takes its own time. “We had G3 level study and it will now be followed by G2 and G1 study before the final extraction of the metal.” “Everything will be done at the earliest and we will collaborate with the GSI and extend our full support in this historical feat,” he said.
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