Bhubaneswar: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found traces of lithium deposits in Odisha’s Nayagarh district, indicating a significant step toward bolstering India’s domestic supply of this critical mineral, said Pankaj Kumar, Deputy Director of GSI, Odisha, speaking to the media on the sidelines of the GSI Board meeting at Konark on Sunday.
This discovery aligns with the nation’s strategic push to enhance electric vehicle (EV) battery and wind mill blade production and reduce dependence on imports.
According to Kumar, the ASI has already initiated a pilot project to find the lithium deposits in Nayagarh using drones and artificial intelligence (AI).
Meanwhile, VL Kantha Rao, Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, highlighted the Centre’s focus on surveying critical minerals, including lithium and copper, in Odisha as well as other potential sites across the country.
“The GSI is actively conducting explorations in Odisha, with preliminary findings indicating the presence of lithium beneath Nayagarh’s soil,” Rao said.
To facilitate these explorations, advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drone-based surveys are being employed. A pilot project in Sundargarh district utilises drones to search for mineral deposits, and similar initiatives are planned for southern Odisha districts like Kandhamal and Malkangiri.
Lithium is essential for manufacturing batteries used in electric vehicles, and securing domestic sources is crucial for India’s transition to sustainable energy. Previously, the GSI established lithium inferred resources of 5.9 million tonnes in the Salal-Haimana area of Reasi District, Jammu & Kashmir.
