India discovered massive 5.9 million tonnes of Lithium deposits in Jammu and Kashmir. On Thursday, the country’s Ministry of Mines revealed the findings about the precious metal, a crucial component of manufacturing electric vehicles and some other electrical products. The deposits have been found in the Salal-Haimana area of the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
“For the first time, lithium reserves have been discovered, and that too in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mines Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj said.
The finding came at a time when the world is rapidly moving towards electric vehicles from gasoline and diesel. Due to this, there is a high demand for lithium, which is majorly found in the salt flats of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. So far, India has depended on Argentina and Australia, which also have around 2.7 million tonnes of metal resources, for its lithium imports. Considering lithium’s widespread usage today, it is also dubbed as “white gold”.
Following the significant discovery, experts believe it could aid India’s push to increase the number of private electric cars by 30% by 2030, as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions to tackle global warming. Reportedly, Reuters reported that New Delhi has been planning to strengthen its supply of crucial minerals, including lithium, that will be critical for furthering its electric vehicle plans.
