Previous Year Question
With reference to mineral resources, which of the following statement/s is/are correct?
Lithium's inferred resources have been found in Reasi district of Jammu & Kashmir.
India is import dependent for many minerals like Lithium, Nickel and Cobalt.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Only 2
Only 1
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is correct. The Geological Survey of India identified lithium resources in the Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district, Jammu & Kashmir. An estimated 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore resource was established in the G3 or Inferred category.
This distinction is very important—5.9 million tonnes should not be described as a reserve of lithium metal. It is an inferred resource of lithium ore. G3 exploration represents a preliminary level of resource assessment and should not be equated with a proved reserve or commercially recoverable lithium.
Statement 2 is also correct. India has remained substantially import-dependent for critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt. All three are particularly important for battery technology, electric vehicles, energy storage and advanced manufacturing.
The current position also shows very high import dependence. Recent government critical-mineral assessments record import dependence of around 100% for each of Lithium, Nickel and Cobalt.
Lithium is primarily important for lithium-ion batteries, nickel for battery cathodes and speciality alloys, and cobalt for high-performance batteries and superalloys. Their strategic importance has therefore placed them prominently within India's critical-mineral strategy.