India’s Lithium Reserves Have Just Gotten Bigger

Found in Rajasthan, this new reserve is believed to be bigger than the one in Jammu & Kashmir

Lithium, a key component for the production of electric vehicles, was found in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year which put India on the map as a country with one of the largest lithium reserves. Now, as per reports, another lithium reserve has been found in the Nagpur district in Rajasthan by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).

Also Read: India Finds Its Own Lithium Reserves in J&K; Here’s How It Stacks Up Against Other Countries

As per their report, this reserve is even bigger than the estimated 5.9 million tonnes found in Jammu and Kashmir and, as of now, Chile and Australia have the largest reserves of 9.3 million tonnes and 6.2 million tonnes, respectively. Considering the reserve found in Rajasthan is believed to be bigger than the one in Jammu and Kashmir, that could mean India now has the largest reserves in the world.

But what does this mean for India? Earlier, we did an article where we discussed what having lithium reserves means for India. Now, as our reserves have gotten bigger, benefits could be big as well.

As of now, we are dependent on other countries for importing lithium which increases the cost of this material significantly and that in turn increases the price of production of electric vehicles and other battery operated appliances in India. If we have these reserves and if the lithium found is battery grade, we can reduce our dependence on imports and use these reserves to produce lithium-based batteries locally. This would help reduce the cost of EVs, and carmakers will also be able to mass produce electric vehicles.

Also Read: 3 Reasons Why Recycling An EV’s Battery Is Important For Global Electrification

Also, if we stop importing lithium and use our reserves, we can also become an exporter to other countries, which can help boost India’s economy. Let us know what you think about this development in the comments below.