| Syllabus: GS-IÂ Subject: Geography Topic: Resources – World and India Issue: Critical minerals |
Context: India is looking at Africa for critical minerals.
- India is looking at Zambia, Namibia, Congo, Ghana and Mozambique for minerals.
- The Geological Survey of India found 9 million tonnes of lithium-inferred resources in Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district of J&K.
Critical Minerals are a type of mineral resource that meet two key criteria:
- Essential for Modern Technologies like clean energy technologies, electronics, and defense systems.
- Supply Chain Risks due to factors like:
- Limited geological availability
- Concentration of their extraction or processing in just a few countries
- Geopolitical issues or trade policies
Examples: Lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite which are vital for battery performance in electric vehicles and electronics.
