Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, who oversees numerous portfolios including Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, announced the finding of lithium resources in Karnataka’s Mandya and Yadgiri districts.
AMD detects 1,600 tonnes of lithium deposits in the Marlagalla area
The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a division of the Department of Atomic Energy, has detected 1,600 tonnes of lithium deposits in the Marlagalla area of Mandya district through early surveys and limited subsurface drilling.
Dr. Singh provided this information in a written response to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha.
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He noted that AMD is actively investigating possible geological domains for lithium in various parts of India, including the Korba District in Chhattisgarh. Furthermore, large mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh, as well as pegmatite belts in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka, are being studied for lithium potential.
What is Lithium?
Lithium, a periodic table element, is one of the world’s most valuable minerals. Johan August Arfvedson discovered the element in 1817, and the name lithium is derived from the Greek word lithos, meaning stone. Lithium, the metal with the lowest density, interacts strongly with water and is poisonous in nature.
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Preliminary survey in Himachal has led to identification of surface uranium
In a similar development, AMD’s preliminary survey in Himachal Pradesh found surface uranium deposits in Masanbal, Hamirpur district.
However, Dr. Singh stated that the Atomic Energy Commission has not performed any research to develop an atomic energy plant in Himachal Pradesh.
