India announces discovery of 5.9 million tons of lithium

India has discovered 5.9 million tonnes of inferred lithium ore in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, making it the country with the fifth-largest lithium reserves in the world. The demand for lithium is set to increase six-fold between 2021 and 2040 due to the growing interest in EVs and renewable technologies. India is currently reliant on imports of lithium from Argentina, Chile, and Australia. The discovery could draw dominance away from the "lithium triangle" of Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia, which hold approximately 75% of the world's lithium supply. However, mining in the Himalayan region could lead to a loss of biodiversity in the ecologically sensitive zones surrounding national parks.

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Photo Credit: Tyler Lastovich