The Geological Survey of India established a 5.9Mt lithium mineral resource estimate in the Jammu and Kashmir region.

On the 9th of February, a mineral resource containing 5.9Mt lithium metal was reported by the Geological Survey of India in the region of Jammu and Kashmir.  The new resource, located in the Resai district of the region, is the largest known lithium resource to date in India, significantly larger than the discovery made by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in Karnataka during 2021, which held 1.6kt lithium metal in resources.  The mineralogy of the Resai deposit is not reported, though historical exploration has identified lithium mica minerals and lithium-bearing clays in the region.  The latest discovery places India as the 7th largest holder of lithium resources globally behind Bolivia, Argentina, the USA, Chile, Australia and China in 2023, according to the USGS. 

While the mineral resource size is significant, the grade of the lithium resource and the mineral resource classification are less attractive.  The resource is classified as an inferred resource, the lowest level of resource confidence, by which the volume and grade of the resource are quantified via geological evidence and sampling.  The grade of the resource is also believed to be ~500-800ppm Li (0.12-0.20% Li2O), lower than many projects under development for lithium globally.  The Geological Survey of India is continuing to explore the deposit in Resai district, which may improve the resource classification in the future, though there is no guarantee that the deposit will prove economically and technically viable as a lithium-producing asset.