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By India Today News Desk: Months after lithium reserves were discovered in Jammu and Kashmir, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found another reserve of the crucial mineral in Degana in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district.
It is believed that these reserves are much bigger in quantity than the one found in the Union Territory and can meet 80% of the total country’s demand.
Currently, India is import-dependent for several minerals like lithium, nickel and cobalt.
Lithium is primarily used in the production of rechargeable batteries, particularly those used in electric vehicles, portable electronic devices, and power tools. Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density, making them a popular choice for use in devices where weight and size are important factors.
ALSO READ | What newly discovered ‘Lithium inferred resources’ in J&K mean for India?
TUNGSTEN DISCOVERED IN BRITISH-ERA
The British discovered tungsten in 1914 on Revant hill in Degana, where the lithium reserves have been found. Tungsten, a good conductor of electricity, was produced in the region and used to make war material for the British Army during the First World War. It was also used in making surgical instruments even after Independence in the health and energy sector.
But with China’s cheap lithium export policy and its monopoly on the mineral, tungsten production in India became expensive and was stopped in the 1990s.
CALL TO RESTART MINING
After Hanuman Beniwal became the MP from Nagaur, the people had submitted a memorandum to him, demanding to restart tungsten mining in Degana. Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal met the Union Minister of Mines, Coal and Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, and discussed the issue of resuming tungsten mining in Degana.
The Union Minister said that a survey was done by GSI in 2017-18, which revealed evidence of 1.36 MT of lithium.
GSI has started the G2 survey to explore the possibility of discovering more reserves of lithium. The discovery of the lithium reserves in Degana can pose a challenge to China’s global lithium monopoly.
ALSO READ | Union Budget 2023-24: Govt removes customs duty on import of goods, machinery for making li-ion cells
(with inputs from Kesharam Garhwar)
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