Explained: ‘Honey’ in the Valley! India’s fate changes? What is Lithium?
There is currently a worldwide search for lithium. It is so important that it has been described as the gasoline of the 21st century. At present, 59,000 tons of lithium have been discovered in India’s Jammu and Kashmir. With such immense wealth, India will become the third largest producer of lithium in the world. The use of lithium is important for making batteries for electric vehicles.
The demand, production and sales of electric vehicles are increasing worldwide. Given the pace of this demand, it is said that this lithium could make India a very rich and powerful country. So this lithium is so important, here is the information on how it will change the destiny of India.
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About 59 lakh tons of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir
The central government has said that lithium reserves have been discovered in the country for the first time. Jammu and Kashmir are estimated to have about 59 lakh tons of lithium. The Indian Geological Survey has discovered lithium in the Salal-Haimana area of ​​the Risasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry of Mines said. How such a huge lithium reserve would benefit India’s development and economy is currently being discussed.
What is Lithium?
Lithium is a non-ferrous ore. It is a silvery looking stone and very soft. The density is very low. However, it is very reactive, that is, after mixing with other chemical elements, its action begins. Therefore, it is kept in a very safe way. To keep it safe, petroleum oil or mineral water is also used.
Where is the use of lithium suitable? What are the applications?
Lithium is widely used in battery manufacturing. Because of lithium, there is competition in many countries. The number of electric vehicles in India is also increasing very rapidly. However, electric vehicles cost more due to the high cost of batteries. In such a situation, if India can produce lithium itself, the cost of vehicles will become cheaper.
Currently, 96% of India’s lithium needs are imported from other countries. A large part of India’s foreign exchange has been spent on this. 8,984 crore in India for lithium batteries in 2020-21. 13,838 crore worth of batteries have been ordered in 2021-2011. China, from which India buys 80 percent of its lithium, is said to now have four times as much lithium.
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Where’s the difficulty? The path is not easy
But there is also a problem with this. Lithium is even found underground. Extracting it from the ground and processing it is a very difficult task. The technology has not yet been developed in India. For example, Australia has 63 lakh tonnes of lithium reserves but can only produce 6 lakh tonnes.
At present, China is the leader in electric vehicle batteries and lithium production. If India can mine and produce these reserves, it can go a long way in this field. This move will not only give a great boost to the market for electronic cars and batteries in India, but will also make India a bigger economy and play a role in reducing pollution.
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