India Discovers Lithium Resources in Karnataka; Expands Nuclear Energy Collaboration

New Delhi: Adding good news for India’s mineral and energy sectors, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, announced that the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy, has identified lithium resources in Karnataka’s Mandya and Yadgiri districts. This discovery was highlighted in a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Dr. Singh revealed that preliminary surveys and limited subsurface exploration in Yadgiri district have confirmed the presence of lithium resources, with AMD establishing 1,600 tonnes of lithium at the G3 stage in the Marlagalla area of Mandya district. This finding marks a significant milestone in India’s quest for strategic minerals essential for battery technologies and renewable energy storage.

The Minister noted that AMD is also conducting exploration in Korba District, Chhattisgarh, and highlighted the potential of major geological domains in the country for lithium resources. These include mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh, as well as pegmatite belts in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka.

In addition to lithium exploration, Dr. Singh provided an update on recent activities in Himachal Pradesh. Preliminary surveys by AMD have identified surface uranium occurrences in Masanbal, Hamirpur district. However, he clarified that the Atomic Energy Commission has not undertaken any studies for establishing an atomic energy plant in Himachal Pradesh.

Dr. Singh also addressed inquiries about the Department of Atomic Energy’s engagement with small modular reactors (SMRs). While the Department is reviewing various technologies and designs for SMRs, no proposals for collaboration with foreign vendors or countries are currently under consideration. He noted that, at present, no private entities have shown interest in producing small modular reactors, although there is some interest in deploying small reactors at captive sites.

On a broader scale, Dr. Singh disclosed that the Government of India and the Russian Federation have expressed mutual interest in expanding cooperation in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including potential collaboration on small modular reactors.