Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authorities final yr listed 30 minerals, together with lithium, nickel, titanium, vanadium and tungsten, as important to drive the adoption of unpolluted vitality.
“Coal India and another corporations are taking a look at Argentina,” Rao advised reporters on the sidelines of an business convention.
In June, Reuters reported that Coal India was exploring lithium blocks in Argentina together with a US firm to safe provides of the battery materials as a part of India’s efforts below the US-led Minerals Safety Partnership (MSP).
India, among the many world’s high greenhouse fuel emitters, has been pursuing abroad pacts to safe key minerals in resource-rich nations reminiscent of Australia, Argentina and Chile.
India’s state-owned agency Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) is pursuing leads in Australia for important minerals, Rao stated, including that KABIL had additionally secured permission for “non-invasive” exploration in Argentina.
“KABIL has received 5 blocks and for 3 blocks, they’ve permission to do non-invasive exploration,” he stated.
In January KABIL signed a $24 million lithium exploration pact for 5 blocks in Argentina.
(By Neha Arora; Modifying by Gareth Jones)