Context:
Discovery of Lithium Resources in Mandya and Yadgiri districts of Karnataka
Lithium:
- Lightest solid metal.
- Characteristics –
- Soft, silvery-white metal.
- Highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in mineral oil.
- An alkali metal and a rare metal.
- Produced from – Hard rock mines and Salt lakes
- Global Distribution – Australia is the world’s biggest supplier
- Countries with Largest Reserves – Chile > Australia > Argentina
- Applications – modern batteries, ceramics, glass, grease, metallurgical powders, telecommunication and aerospace industries.
Lithium in India:
- Currently, India imports all its lithium needs, with China and Hong Kong as its biggest suppliers.
- Potential Lithium Sites in India –
- Mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh.
- Pegmatite (igneous rocks) belts in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
- Sambhar and Pachpadra in Rajasthan, and Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat.
Related Article: Rare Earths and Critical Minerals
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
With reference to India, consider the following statements:
1. Monazite is a source of rare earths.
2. Monazite contains thorium.
3. Monazite occurs naturally in the entire Indian coastal sands in India.
4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (b)
