Lithium reserves also discovered in Rajasthan

Lithium reserves have also been discovered in Degana, Rajasthan, according to media reports.

It is believed that these reserves are higher than the ones recently located in Jammu & Kashmir.

Following the recent discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of inferred lithium reserves in Jammu & Kashmir, Autocar Professional had reported that GSI was conducting the exploration of lithium and related materials in Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Ladakh, and Gujarat.

Neogen Chemicals (Neogen), a bromine and lithium-based specialty chemicals manufacturer had told this publication that with the recent lithium discovery in Jammu and Kashmir, India will be able to develop the entire battery cell ecosystem indigenously, from sourcing to converting it into complex salts for the manufacture of electrolytes.

Assuming the global average reserve-resource ratio, the deposit could be more than sufficient to electrify the entire passenger vehicle and two- wheeler industry’s installed manufacturing capacity in India, says a research report by consultancy firm Jefferies.

The new exploratory move to scout for lithium reserves assumes importance given that the country's electric vehicle (EV) sector is still totally dependent on imports, particularly from China, for its lithium cell requirements.