India Hints At Developing Lithium From Lab To Reality

Union Minister of Mines and Coal Pralhad Joshi, in his recent reply made before the Lok Sabha, said that India has already made successful attempts to extract Lithium from the mineral concentrate on a laboratory scale. He also said that the country was able to develop technologies to utilize the Lithium sources present in the country.

It comes in the background of the recent discovery of Lithium in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir in India. In his written reply to House, the minister also said that the human habitation in the Lithium-rich region of J&K had scattered human settlements.

“The processing and refining methods for lithium ore can vary depending on the type of lithium deposit, the characteristics of the ore, and the intended end-use of the lithium compounds. India is capable of developing technologies for beneficiation of lithium ore to lithium mineral concentrate. Successful experimentation has been done for extraction
of Lithium from mineral concentrate in laboratory scale,” the minister said in his written statement before the Lok Sabha.

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He also added, “Geological Survey of India (GSI) has carried out a ‘preliminary exploration’ i.e. G3 stage mineral exploration project on Bauxite, Rare Earth Elements and Lithium in Salal–Haimna areas of Reasi District, Jammu & Kashmir during FS 2020-21 & 2021-22 and has confirmed an inferred resource (G3) of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore. There are scattered houses in the mineralised block of Salal-Haimna, Reasi District, Jammu & Kashmir.”

The Union minister also said that the decision regarding auctioning of the Lithium mineral block in J&K would be taken by the local government there. “The decision regarding auctioning of the Lithium mineral block in Jammu & Kashmir will be taken up by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir as on date,” the minister said.

The minister also said that The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research AMDER under the Department of Atomic Energy has established 1600 tonnes (inferred category) of lithium resource in the Marlagalla area, Mandya District, Karnataka.

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“This is a preliminary estimate and since then, exploration inputs by AMDER are focused to convert the preliminary estimate to an exploitable category and higher degree of confidence and to augment lithium resource in the adjoining extension areas. Bench scale studies have been completed on hydro-metallurgical extraction of Lithium from Spodumene mineral concentrate from the area to produce very pure Lithium Carbonate,” the minister said.