Raipur: On the instructions of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai, State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal attended the 6th Governing Body Meeting of the National Mineral Exploration Trust held at Dr. Ambedkar International Center in New Delhi as his representative. In the meeting chaired by Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, exploitation of minerals and their use along with conservation of nature and environment were discussed.
The meeting also discussed the Katghora area located in Korba district of Chhattisgarh. Geological Survey of India has confirmed the presence of large reserves of lithium in about 250 hectares of Katghora.
State Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, who was present in the meeting as the representative of Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai, while giving information said that the lithium mine to be started soon in Katghora will be the country’s first lithium mine. He said that at present lithium is an important metal due to which the state and the country will move towards a new direction of development. He said that with the start of lithium mine, Chhattisgarh will be one of the leading states of the country in the coming times and the lithium reserves of Chhattisgarh will make a major contribution in the contribution of Developed India, 2047.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Mines of the Government of India has issued NIT in the MSTC portal for the allocation of 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks located in Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir through e-auction. Among these 20 blocks, Lithium and REE block is also included in Katghora area located in Korba district of Chhattisgarh. In the initial survey by GSI in about 250 hectares area, about 10 ppm to 2 thousand ppm lithium content has been found. Presence of rare earth element has also been found in the block. Critical and strategic minerals are required in renewable energy, defence, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, high-tech electronics, telecommunications, transport etc. The country is currently dependent on imports in the case of this mineral.
