In News- Recently ,the Government confirmed the presence of lithium deposits of 1,600 tonnes in Mandya district of Karnataka.
- The development comes as last year India got into an agreement with an Argentinian firm to jointly prospect lithium in the South American nation which has 17 million tonnes of lithium metal reserves.
- Plans for commercial exploitation of the lithium deposits can commence after the technical, social and economic feasibility studies in the area.
About Lithium:
- Lithium is a key element for new technologies.
- Properties:
- It is a chemical element with the symbol Li which is a soft, silvery-white metal.
- It is highly reactive and flammable.
- It is an alkali metal and a rare metal.
- Extraction-
- Lithium can be extracted in different ways, depending on the type of the deposit .
- It is generally done either through solar evaporation of large brine pools or by hard-rock extraction of the ore.
- Uses
- It is added to glasses and ceramics for resistance to temperature fluctuation.
- It is used in heat-resistant greases and lubricants, and it is alloyed with aluminium and copper for lightweight aerial components.
- The well-known uses of lithium are in lithium ion batteries.
- It is also used in psychiatric medications and in dental imprints.
- The lighter of two lithium isotopes is used in the production of Tritium, a key component of nuclear weapons.
- Leading producer-
- Bolivia is the leading producer with 2.10 crore tonnes lithium reserves, and Argentina has 1.70 crore tonnes of Lithium.
- Lithium in India
- In India,there is some potential for recovering lithium from the brines of Sambhar and Pachpadra in Rajasthan, and Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat,Mandya district of Karnataka.
- India currently imports all its lithium needs.
