Jharkhand State PCS

• 21 Nov 2023

Lithium Reserves Food in Koderma District of Jharkhand

Why In News?

On November 18, 2023, Director General of Geological Survey of India (GSI) Janardan Prasad told in a press conference that reserves of the mineral 'lithium', which is called the treasure of the future, have been found in Koderma district. This has been confirmed in the preliminary investigation by GSI.

Key Points:

• GSI Director General Janardan Prasad told in the press conference that Koderma has reserves of lithium along with mica. It will now be feasible to determine the precise amount of lithium present in this area by excavating the G-3 level.
• He said that dependence on batteries is going to increase in the country by 2050. Lithium is the most important element for this. Therefore, focus is being placed on the discovery of lithium. Lithium reserves have been discovered in Jammu. There is also a possibility of lithium reserves in Bhilwara in Rajasthan and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh.
• The Director General said that China has the technology for extraction of lithium. He has a monopoly on this. Therefore, MoU will be signed with many other institutes including GSI Dhanbad, Sifar, IIT ISM and other IITs, the Government of India will also fund the digging institutes.
• The Director General said that gold mines have been detected at two places in Tamar. In the past also, two gold mines have been discovered in Jharkhand. The state government will get the most benefit from getting minerals in the form of revenue. Employment will be created in the respective areas.

Diamonds will be discovered in the River Beds of Jharkhand

Why In News?

According to information received from the media on November 18, 2023, diamonds will be discovered in the sediments of many rivers in Ranchi and Palamu divisional districts of Jharkhand. The Ministry of Mines of the Central Government has approved this project.

Key Points:

• It may be noted that the Geological Survey of India has prepared this project in 2019. For this, the map of 'Diamond River' of Jharkhand and other information in the books of dozens of world famous authors, from 'Jahangirnama' of Mughal rule till 1917, has been made the basis.
• The map released in French traveler JB Trevernier's India travelogue book will also be explored near Diamond River in Chhotanagpur. For this, survey of rivers of many districts including Ranchi, Gumla, Simdega, Lohardaga, Latehar, especially Koel and Shankh rivers will be conducted.
• Those places along the banks of the river where insects, wasps and termites are found from the ground have been included in it. Besides, wherever other minerals are being extracted on a large scale in the state, a survey will also be conducted.
• Jahangirnama's translator Munshi Devi Prasad and other translator Brajaratnadas told that both small and big diamonds are found on the banks of Shankh river in Ranchi. Dr. Mathuralal Sharma, translator of 'Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri' has also confirmed this.
• H Kupalen has written in Bengal District Gazetteer Manbhum that there was diamond in the jurisdiction of Nagvanshis. Whereas, MG Halit in Bihar District Gazetteer Ranchi has mentioned the presence of diamonds in the alluvium of Shankh river of Ranchi.
• Similarly, Prof. John Dowson, in his book 'The History of India as told by its own historian', has mentioned that both small and big diamonds were found on the banks of Shankh River in Jharkhand.
• Apart from this, Colonel Dalton's book 'Ethnology of Bengal', JB Trevinier's book 'Tribals in India', CF George's book 'What a Dictionary of the Economic Product of India', V Bal's book 'The Diamonds, Coal and Gold of India'. There are such mentions in 'India' etc also.