Why in News?
Amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act was made allowing commercial mining of lithium and a few other minerals.

Context:  
The amendments will lift the ban on commercial mining of six critical minerals —lithium, beryllium, titanium, niobium, tantalum and zirconium. 
Critical minerals refer those that are at risk of supply shortage, which may have a larger impact on the economy compared to that of other raw materials.
These minerals are required for manufacturing in several sectors, including electric vehicles, batteries, glassware, automotive components, defence machinery, telecommunication equipment, capacitors, super alloys, carbides and medical technology. 
India is seeking to become a manufacturing hub and reduce import dependence of several minerals used in manufacturing.
  
·         Just 10% of J&K lithium reserve can power all cars on Indian roads. 
·         Lithium, often referred to as ‘white gold’, is a non-ferrous metal and is one of the key components in EV batteries.
·         While mining has long been state dominated in India, the logic of economic liberalization demands that it be done by those best placed for the task.

The Geological Survey of India has for the first-time established Lithium ‘inferred’ resources(G3) of 5.9 million tonnes in Salal-Haimana area of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. 
  
What are Inferred Mineral Resources?
Based on the classification from United Nations International Framework Classification for Reserves/Resources – Solid Fuels and Mineral Commodities of 1997 (UNFC-1997), the “inferred” mineral resource is a resource for which quantity, grade and mineral content are estimated only with a low level of confidence.
 It is based on information gathered from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that may be of limited or uncertain quality, and also of lower reliability from geological evidence.

What is Lithium?  
Lithium (Li), sometimes also referred as ‘White gold’ due to its high demand for rechargeable batteries, is a soft and silvery-white metal.

Features of Lithium:  
·         It is a delicate, white-silver alkali metal.
·         It is the least dense metal and the least dense solid element under typical conditions.
·         As with all alkali metals, Li must be stored under a vacuum, in an inert atmosphere, or an inert liquid such as mineral oil or pure kerosene.
·         It has a shiny sheen when cut, but damp air quickly corrodes it to a dull silvery grey, then a black patina.
·         It never occurs freely in nature, but only in (usually ionic) compounds, such as pegmatitic minerals, which were once the main source of Li.
·         Due to its solubility as an ion, it is present in ocean water and is commonly obtained from brines.
·         Li metal is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.
·         In trace levels, Li is found in biological systems; its roles remain unknown. In the treatment of mental illnesses including bipolar disorder, Li salts have shown promise as a mood stabilizer and antidepressant.

Extraction Mechanism:  
Lithium can be extracted in different ways, depending on the type of the deposit — generally either through solar evaporation of large brine pools, or from hard-rock extraction of the ore.

Applications:  
·         Lithium is an important component of electrochemical cells used in batteries of EVs, Laptops, Mobiles etc.
·         It is also used in thermonuclear reactions.
·         It is used to make alloys with aluminium and magnesium, improving their strength and making them lighter.
·         Magnesium-lithium alloy - for armour plating.
·         Aluminum-lithium alloys - in aircraft, bicycle frames and high-speed trains.
·         Pharmaceuticals: It is used as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of the bipolar disorder, depression, and other mental health conditions.
·         Glass and Ceramics: It is used in the production of special glass and ceramics, as it helps to reduce the melting temperature of these materials.
·         Aerospace and Military: It is used in the aerospace and military industries to cool the temperature-sensitive components in space vehicles and military equipment, such as radar systems and missile guidance systems.
·         Lubrication: It is used as an ingredient in high-temperature lubricating greases, due to its ability to withstand high temperatures and provide long-lasting lubrication.
 
Major Global Lithium Reserves: 
Chile > Australia > Argentina are top countries with Li reserves.
  
Lithium Triangle: Chile, Argentina, Bolivia.
 
Lithium Reserves in India: 
·         Preliminary survey showed estimated lithium reserves of 14,100 tonnes in a small patch of land surveyed in Southern Karnataka’s Mandya district.
·         Other potential sites:
·         Mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh.
·         Pegmatite belts in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
·         Rann of Kutch in Gujrat.
 
Current Scenario in India: 
·         India  is currently dependent on imports for lithium cells and batteries. 
·         Over 165 crore lithium batteries are estimated to have been imported into India between FY17 and FY20 at an estimated import bill of upwards of $3.3 billion.
·         The country's efforts to secure lithium sourcing agreements are seen as a move against imports from China, which is the major source of both raw materials and cells.
·         India is perceived as a late entrant into the lithium value chain, entering at a time when the EV sector is expected to undergo significant disruption.
·         2023 is considered a turning point for battery technology, with the potential for several improvements to the Li-ion technology.
 
Significance of Lithium Discovery and Mining: 
1. Assistance in Achieving Targets:
·         India has pledged to reduce its emissions towards net zero by 2070, which requires the availability of lithium as a critical component in electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
·         The Central Electricity Authority of India has estimated that the country will need 27 GW of grid-scale battery energy storage systems by 2030, which will require massive amounts of lithium.
2. Addressing Global Shortages:
·         The World Economic Forum (WEF) has warned of global lithium shortages due to rising demand for EVs and rechargeable batteries, which is estimated to reach 2 billion by 2050.
·         The world's supply of lithium is under strain due to the concentration of resources in a few locations with 54% of the world's Lithium reserves are found in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.
·         The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that the world could face lithium shortages by 2025.

Consequences of Lithium Mining:  
·         The common environmental side effects of lithium mining are water loss, ground destabilization, biodiversity loss, increased salinity of rivers, contaminated soil, and toxic waste.
·         After the brine is pumped out from underneath the salt flat, it is left to evaporate through a series of ponds for 12-18 months, forming a mixture of potassium, magnesium, borax, and lithium salts.
·         For a tonne of lithium, up to 2 million liters of water are required. The majority of this is lost in evaporation.
 
Other major side-effects of Lithium Mining are: 
·         Pollutes Water Sources
·         Increases Carbon Dioxide Emissions
·         Misuses Gallons of Water
·         Depletes Fertile Land
·         Causes Respiratory Problems
·         Creates Unsustainable Water Table Reduction
·         Produces Massive Mining Wastes
·         Tampers with the Water Cycle
  
Mains Question:
  Q: Lithium is often reffered as White Gold. In this context, Examine the Economic and Ecological Significance of Lithium for India?