Exploration, imports, private firms: India's search for lithium spreads out

'White gold', needed for electric car batteries, is scarce in the country and getting expensive internationally

The Centre has listed 24 new Bills to be introduced for Parliament’s Monsoon session that began Monday. The mining sector reforms bill that is expected to allow private companies to dig for lithium is among them.

Across the world, there is a rush to find lithium or “white gold”, an essential component in electric car batteries. Batteries account for about 74 per cent of global end-use. The search is on in India as well.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI), which works under the mines ministry, during field season programme (FSP) 2016-2017 to 2020-2021 carried out 14 projects on lithium