Why in news?
- Reserves of lithium, a rare metal critical to build batteries for electric vehicles, have been discovered in Mandya, 100 km from Bengaluru – a find that should boost local manufacturing of EV batteries.
Details
- Researchers at the Atomic Minerals Directorate, a unit of India’s Atomic Energy Commission, have estimated lithium reserves of 14,100 tonnes in a small patch of land surveyed in the Southern Karnataka district
- 14,100 tonnes is still very little compared to many major producers.
- So far, in the absence of local mines for lithium, India has set up Khanij Bidesh India to source and acquire mines in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.
- India currently imports all its lithium needs.
Background
Top producers
| Rank | Country/Region | Lithium production (tonnes) |
| 1 | Australia | 51,000 |
| 2 | Chile | 16,000 |
| 3 | China | 8,000 |
| 4 | Argentina | 6,200 |
