Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: DTE
Context: French minerals company has acquired 80% of British Lithium, a UK-based startup extracting lithium in Cornwall (England). The partnership aims to develop a mine capable of producing 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year, enough to power 500,000 EVs annually.
How can India secure its position on Lithium:
- India, recently joined the Minerals Security Partnership led by the US, along with France and the UK.
- India can leverage this position to establish a trilateral strategic partnership and secure a reliable lithium supply chain, boosting its domestic EV manufacturing sector.
About Lithium:
- It is a soft, silvery-white metal. Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element. It is highly reactive and flammable and must be stored in mineral oil.
Countries with Largest Reserves:
- Chile> Australia> Argentina
- Lithium Triangle: Chile, Argentina, Bolivia.
Lithium in India:
Recently, the Geological Survey of India has for the first-time established Lithium ‘inferred’ resources(G3) of about 6 million tonnes in the Salal-Haimana area of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Lithium reserves were also discovered on Revant Hill in Degana in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district and Karnataka Mandya district
