Effects of Lithium Mining in Reasi

• 04 Sep 2024

Why in News?

Recently, a new study highlights the environmental concerns associated with lithium brine extraction, a process involving pumping salt-rich water to the surface and using evaporation ponds to extract lithium.

Key Points

• Potential Impact of Lithium Mining in Reasi (J&K):
  • Water Crisis: Many villages in Reasi are struggling to access enough water, after perennial streams dried up following the construction of the Chenab Rail Bridge.
    • Water-intensive lithium mining can further worsen the situation.
  • Threat to Biodiversity: The Himalayan region in J&K is a biodiversity hotspot and a eco-sensitive region, and mining could lead to a significant loss of biodiversity.
    • It can hamper the habitat of migratory birds like Common Teal, Northern Pintail etc who come every year to stay in lakes, marshes and wetlands of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Food Insecurity: Mining and processing lithium can further jeopardise food security through its excessive carbon emissions, water, and land use methods.
  • Pollution: The Himalayas are the source of so many rivers and mining activity may pollute the entire riparian ecosystem.

• Lithium: It is a soft, silvery metal. It has the lowest density of all metals.
  • It has high reactivity, low density and excellent electrochemical properties.
  • Its ores are Petalite, Lepidolite and Spodumene. It is also known as the “white gold”.
• Applications:
  • Batteries: The most important use of lithium is in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles.
    • Lithium is also used in some non-rechargeable batteries for things like heart pacemakers, toys and clocks.
  • Alloys: A magnesium-lithium alloy is used for armour plating.
  • Air Conditioning: Lithium chloride and lithium bromide are used in air conditioning and industrial drying systems due to their hygroscopic properties.
  • Lubricants: Lithium stearate is used as an all-purpose and high-temperature lubricant.