AMD has established 1,600 tonnes (G3 stage) of Lithium resources in the Marlagalla area, Mandya district.
Jitendra Singh, India’s Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, said that lithium deposits have been found in the southwest state of Karnataka, a government press release mentioned.
In a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Thursday (Jul 25), the minister stated that the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), which is a constituent unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has found the presence of lithium resources in the Mandya and Yadgiri districts of the state.
Singh informed that AMD has established 1,600 tonnes (G3 stage) of lithium resources in the Marlagalla area, Mandya district.
The minister also said that preliminary surveys and limited subsurface exploration have been carried out in the Yadgiri district to know about the deposits.
Lithium is mostly used in rechargeable batteries for electric cars, laptops, digital cameras and cell phones. Certain non-rechargeable batteries for devices like toys, heart pacemakers and clocks also include lithium.
While highlighting the presence of lithium reserves, Singh said that AMD has also been exploring lithium in the potential geological domains in parts of Korba District in Chhattisgarh.
He added that, however, the major mica belts located in Rajasthan, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh and Pegmatite Belts in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka are the potential geological domains in the country for lithium resources.
Singh shared that a preliminary survey carried out recently by AMD in Himachal Pradesh has led to the identification of surface uranium occurrence in Masanbal, Hamirpur district.
However, he categorically mentioned that the Atomic Energy Commission has not conducted any study to establish an atomic energy plant in the north Indian state.
Singh said that although several small modular reactor designs and technologies released by overseas vendors and nations are being examined to obtain technical specifics, no proposal to work with foreign vendors or nations is being considered at this time.
He further mentioned that the Indian and Russian governments have expressed interest in expanding the cooperation in the field of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes including cooperation in the field of Small Modular Reactor.
(With inputs from agencies)
source/content: wionews.com (headline edited)