Alongside a move to tap into the global lithium value chain, India has initiated a concerted domestic exploration in Karnataka's Mandya district.
Lithium reserves in Karnataka
Preliminary surveys by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), an arm of the Department of Atomic Energy has carried out the exploration.
AMD is carrying out surface and sub-surface exploration for lithium in potential geological domains of the country.
Their research has shown the presence of 1,600 tonnes of lithium resources in the igneous rocks of the Marlagalla-Allapatna region of Karnataka's Mandya district.
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Global producers of lithium
Australia and Chile have swapped positions as the world's leading lithium-producing country over the past decade. In 2019, the world's Top 5 lithium producers were:
Australia - 52.9% of global production
Chile - 21.5%
China - 9.7%
Argentina - 8.3%
Zimbabwe - 2.1%
The U.S. ranked 7th with 1.2% of the world's lithium production.
In 2019, the world's Top 5 lithium reserves by country were:
Chile - 55.5% of the world's total
Australia - 18.1%
Argentina - 11.0%
China - 6.5%
U.S. - 4.1%
Why is the exploration significant?
India currently imports all its lithium needs.
The find in Mandya is extremely small in quantitative terms, but it marks some initial success in the attempt to domestically mine the silver-white metal by way of hard-rock extraction of the ore.
The domestic exploration push comes at a time when India has stepped up its economic offensive against China, a major source of lithium-ion energy storage products being imported into the country.
The Marlagalla-Allapatna area is seen as among the most promising geological domains for potential exploration for lithium and other rare metals.
What lies ahead?
India is seen as a late mover in attempts to enter the lithium value chain, coming at a time when EVs are predicted to be a sector ripe for disruption.
2021 is likely to be an inflexion point for battery technology - with several potential improvements to the li-ion technology, and alternatives to this tried-and-tested formulation in advanced stages of commercialization.
Back2Basic: Li-Ion battery

Whittingham developed the first functional lithium-ion battery in 1976, Goodenough brought in a major improvement in 1980, while Yoshino made the first practical-use lithium-ion battery in 1985.
Commercially manufactured lithium-ion batteries, based on what Yoshino had developed, made their first appearance in 1991.
Its' working
Batteries convert chemical energy into electricity.
A battery comprises two electrodes, a positive cathode and a negative anode, which is separated by a liquid chemical, called an electrolyte, which is capable of carrying charged particles.
The two electrodes are connected through an electrical circuit.
When the circuit is on, electrons travel from the negative anode towards the positive cathode, thus generating an electric current, while positively charged ions move through the electrolyte.
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