Key Facts

India's premier state-owned iron ore miner NMDC Limited entered preliminary strategic discussions with Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom to jointly explore and invest in overseas lithium mining assets. With lithium categorized as a strategic 'critical mineral' vital for electric vehicle (EV) traction batteries, energy storage systems (BESS), and consumer electronics, NMDC's international venture aims to secure stable overseas supply linkages. Discussions encompass exploring lithium brine and hard-rock pegmatite deposits in South America (the 'Lithium Triangle' of Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia) and Africa, capitalizing on Rosatom's chemical extraction technology and NMDC's open-cast mining expertise.

GK Context

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 empowered the Central Government to exclusively auction exploration licences and mining leases for 24 critical and strategic minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements (REEs). In 2023, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) identified 5.9 million tonnes of inferred lithium resources (G4 stage) in the Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district in Jammu & Kashmir, and additional reserves in Katghora, Chhattisgarh. To secure overseas supplies, India also established Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), a joint venture of NALCO, HCL, and MECL, which recently acquired exploration rights in Argentina.