New Delhi: Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy has said that India would be able to meet the demand for critical minerals like lithium from within the country in three-four years.
Speaking on the sidelines of the celebrations of 175 years of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in Kolkata, he said the National Critical Mineral Mission is aimed at ramping up the mining of critical minerals like lithium.
“We need lithium for batteries of mobiles, and for solar panels. In the next three-four years, we are hopeful that we will be able to meet the demand for minerals like lithium from within the country and it will be of great help,” he said.
The minister said approval has been given for “Rs 32,000 crore for the critical mineral mission”.
He said the GSI is playing an important role in meeting the objectives of the National Critical Mineral Mission.
Reddy said the demand for critical minerals has been on the rise all over the world, and the mission will lessen “our import dependence”.
“It will help India achieve the top spot in mineral exploration by 2047 to realise the mission of ‘Viksit Bharat’,” he said.
