DEPOSITS OF LITHIUM IN MANDYA DISTRICT OF KARNATAKA FOUND

DEPOSITS OF LITHIUM IN MANDYA DISTRICT OF KARNATAKA FOUND

Context

The Government has found the presence of Lithium resources of 1,600 tonnes in the pegmatites of Margalla-Allapatna area, Mandya district, Karnataka.

• It is a key element for new technologies and finds its use in ceramics, glass, telecommunication and aerospace industries.
• Under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, the thermonuclear application makes Lithium as “Prescribed substance” which permits AMD for exploration of Lithium in various geological domains of the country.

Uses of Lithium

• Lithium and its compounds have several industrial applications, including heat-resistant glass and ceramics, flux additives for iron, steel and aluminum production, lithium batteries and lithium-ion batteries.
• Lithium is also present in biological systems in trace amounts; its functions are uncertain.
• Lithium salts have proven to be useful as a mood-stabilizing drug in the treatment of bipolar disorder in humans.

About Lithium

• Lithium is a rare element not usually found in India.
• India imports 100% lithium ion batteries from China.
• According to data tabled in the Parliament in February 2020, the import of Lithium-ion batteries quadrupled to 712 million batteries in 2018 from 175 million in 2016.
• China, Hong Kong and Vietnam were the leading importers of lithium.

Top Lithium producers in the world

The top Lithium producing countries are

• Australia– 52.9%
• Chile- 21.5%
• China- 9.7%
• Argentina- 8.3%
• Zimbabwe- 2.1%