India close to securing lithium reserves overseas

India close to securing lithium reserves overseas

Subject : Geography

Section: Economic Geography

Context:

• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has taken up 125 exploration projects this year which is the highest ever.

Details:

• In 2023, a list of 30 critical minerals was announced by the Ministry of Mines.
• The list included lithium, cobalt, copper, graphite, molybdenum, nickel, platinum of elements, phosphorus, potash, Rare Earth Elements, silicon, tin, titanium, and tungsten.
• Active lithium blocks in India- Salal-Haimna in Jammu & Kashmir, and Katghora in Chhattisgarh.

Global lithium reserves:

• Chile, Australia, Argentina, China, US are a few of the countries in the world with the largest overall lithium reserves, regardless of their stage of development.
• Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile make up the “lithium triangle.” The three countries, along with Peru, contain about 67% of proven lithium reserves and produce about half of the global supply, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
  • Bolivia is home to the world’s biggest lithium reserves. With estimates of 21 million tonnes, Bolivia holds about one-quarter of the entire global resource – including the world’s single-biggest lithium deposit, the Salar de Uyuni salt flat, which is visible from space.
  • Argentina has the world’s second-largest lithium reserves, totalling around 17 million tonnes. Like neighboringg Bolivia and Chile, these reserves are contained in vast salt flats, where the solar evaporation of brine pools is the technique used to extract it.
  • The Salar del Hombre Muerto salt flat is a notable lithium resource in Argentina.
  • Chile accounts for around nine million tonnes of lithium reserves. In 2021 by far Chile has the world’s largest mine reserves, totaling 8.6 million tonnes.
  • Although the US has the world’s fourth-largest lithium reserves, measured at 6.8 million tonnes, production activity in the country is minimal.
  • Australia may only rank fifth on the list of largest overall reserves with 6.3 million tonnes, but it was by far the world’s biggest lithium producer in 2019.
  • China is sixth-placed on the list, with overall lithium reserves estimated at 4.5 million tonnes.

For details on Lithium mineral