The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has refuted recent media reports that large lithium reserves have been discovered in Rajasthan, calling them “unfounded” and “misleading.”
The GSI clarified that the regional or head office did not provide such information, and that they are currently exploring for tungsten, lithium and associated rare metal mineralization in the Degana area of Nagaur district from 2019-20.
The drilling work is still in progress, and the resources will only be established after the completion of the drilling work and the completion of the report.
Interestingly, not only media reports but even ministers have also made similar claims about lithium reserves in Rajasthan.
Rajasthan Cabinet Minister for Mines Pramod Bhaya reported that the GSI survey in Degana tehsil of Nagaur district indicated an abundance of lithium. Bhaya claimed that the lithium reserve found in Degana of Nagaur is even larger than that of Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier this year, a 5.9 million tonne lithium reserve was discovered in Jammu and Kashmir. Lithium is mainly used in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops and electric vehicles, and its reserves can provide a significant boost to India’s sustainability goals.
Global figures
According to US Geological Survey data, show that Bolivia has the highest 21 million tons of identified lithium resources, followed by 20 million tons in Argentina, 12 million tons in the US, and 20 million tons in Argentina. USA, 11 million tons in Chile, 7.9 million tons in Australia, 6.8 million tons in China, 5.9 million tons in India (as discovered by GSI) and 3.2 million tons in Germany.
| Countries | Reserves (in tonnes) | Production (in tonnes) |
| Chile | 9.3 million | 0.39 million |
| Australia | 6.2 million | 0.61 million |
| India | 5.9 million | – |
| Argentina | 2.7 million | 0.06 million |
| China | 2 million | 0.19 million |
| USA | 1 million | – |
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