Indian lithium discovery a gamechanger

Last month, the Indian Ministry of Mines reported on their Twitter handle that the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has announced the discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of inferred lithium ore. “The Geological Survey of India has for the first time established 5.9 million tonnes inferred resources (G3) of lithium in Salal-Haimana area of Reasi District of Jammu & Kashmir (UT),” the tweet said. The GSI said the site is an “inferred resource” of the metal, which means it is at a preliminary exploration stage, the second of a four-step process. Inferred refers to the lowest of three levels of confidence in the estimation of a mineral deposit, behind “indicated” and “measured”. Like the previous findings in 1995-97, the latest find by the GSI is also preliminary.

Lithium is a non-ferrous metal and is one of the key components in the electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The batteries made with lithium and ion have higher energy densities than lead-acid batteries or nickel-metal hydride batteries, so it is possible to make the battery size smaller than others while retaining the same storage capacity. With a major push for EVs across the world, the element is very crucial in their manufacturing.

A Wion report says that India’s dependence on the import of EV batteries, laptops, mobile phones, and other electronic devices would be significantly reduced since this discovery. It adds that the reserve can help meet India’s expanding EV industry’s lithium demand. Currently, India is import dependent for several elements such as lithium, nickel and cobalt. An International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) study found that access to critical elements such as lithium is a major challenge for investors in the country’s EV sector.

Experts, however, warn that tapping these reserves could pose environmental risks. Reports say that to produce one tonne of lithium would need around 2.2 million litres of water. It could also contaminate the surrounding landscape and water resources. Lithium mining in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, for instance, has led to concerns over soil degradation, water shortages and contamination, air pollution and biodiversity loss. Also, the terrain in the Himalayan region is also fraught with dangers, often prone to earthquakes, floods, landslides and wildlife related incidents. The eco-sensitive region could face biodiversity loss as well.

The report adds that the lithium deposit in Jammu and Kashmir may contain a significant amount of lithium. The potential site in Reasi has the same amount of lithium as the reserves in US and more than China’s current reserves which are around 4.5 million tonnes. However, it is currently insufficient to compare to the top lithium reserves in the world. Australia has 6.3 million tonnes of lithium, Bolivia has 21 million tonnes, and Argentina has 17 million tonnes, as reported by the Mint. China, however, is the source of 4.5 million tonnes of the light metal. Since South America is a particularly rich supply of the metal, the three nations of Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina are collectively referred to as the ‘Lithium Triangle’. Approximately, 75% of the world’s lithium supply lies beneath the salt flats of these three nations.

The Wion report states that lithium is an extremely reactive, alkaline, and light metal. It is mostly employed in the manufacturing of ceramics and glassware, greases, medicinal compounds, air conditioners, and aluminium, among other things. Due to its maximum energy storage capacity per kilogramme, it is an ideal option for EV manufacturers like Tesla due to its enormous energy storage capacity and incredibly low weight. EVs aren’t the only thing that use lithium; it’s also used in the medical field, in electronics that run our phones, in solar panels, and in other renewable technologies essential for the switch to clean energy.

According to the International Lithium Association website, the lithium atom is the smallest of the metal atoms in the periodic table.  It is the lightest and most reactive of the alkali metals, it floats on water but strongly reacts with water yielding lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. Lithium is a soft silver-grey metal, yet when combined with metals such as magnesium, it forms a very strong alloy.  Lithium is also highly reactive, reacting with water, oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen at room temperature. In contrast, lithium compounds, are very stable. Owing to continuing exploration, in recent years identified lithium resources around the world have increased substantially. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates total identified lithium resources at over 86 million tons (Mt) in 2020.