Question: In which of the following state India’s first lithium refinery will be set up?
a) Maharashtra
b) Uttar Pradesh
c) Gujarat
d) Punjab
Answer: (c)
Related Facts:-
- According to official information India’s first lithium refinery will be set up in Gujarat.
- It has been informed that Manikaran Power Limited, the country’s largest electricity trading and renewable energy company, will invest more than Rs 1,000 crore to set up this refinery.
- Australian mining company Neometals has entered into a deal with Manikaran Power Limited to jointly fund a feasibility study to set up India’s first lithium refinery.
- Presently, some places are being searched in Sanand and Dholera in Gujarat to establish this refinery.
- It is known that lithium is a rare element, which is not commonly found in India.
- India for this purpose will import lithium from Australia to this lithium refinery and its processing will be done here.
- As India has a plan to become one of the world’s largest electric car markets, the country needs lithium as a raw material to produce batteries. India imports most of its lithium-related requirements.
- It should be known that according to the data presented before the Parliament in February 2020 India’s lithium-ion batteries import increased about four times in 2018 in comparison to the export of these batteries in 2016.
- It is to be noted that already many lithium ion battery manufacturing plants are operating in Gujarat; the establishment of a lithium refinery will make Gujarat a major center of lithium ion batteries in India.
By – Rajesh Tripathi