Fresh Promise for Lithium Mining in Chhattisgarh
The critical mineral lithium, crucial for batteries and energy storage, seems to have a brighter future in India according to recent findings. After delays and setbacks across several states, exploration efforts in the Korba district of Chhattisgarh offer hope.
One lithium block in Korba is advancing to the second round of auctions, showing investor faith in the potential reserves there. Meanwhile, initial drilling in another nearby block detected hard rock deposits containing modest but potentially workable amounts of lithium. Further surveying could provide a clearer picture of the quantities present.
Yet the path has not been smooth elsewhere. Exploration had to be dropped in Manipur and Ladakh due to local opposition and unencouraging results respectively. A separate bidding process for a Jammu and Kashmir block also failed due to anemic interest. Experts point to uncertainties around deposit sizes and extraction challenges with the lithium found in India.
Still, proponents stress lithium's rising strategic value. Powering electric vehicles and electronic devices in massive and growing numbers, stable lithium supplies are a priority worldwide. While domestic mining progresses unevenly, India has gained overseas assets that could eventually augment supply. If the deposits in Chhattisgarh pan out as hoped, it might set the course for a landmark phase of lithium development within India. Answers on that front may emerge soon from the country's sole active exploration site for the coveted mineral.
