Mint Explainer: Why India needs to look for new battery minerals other than lithium
. Although lithium imports do not form a significant chunk of India's import bill, the imports are likely to grow further. A key mineral being explored for manufacturing of batteries is sodium.
Sodium ion batteries have come into the play, although not in a mass scale. Given the limited availability of lithium and the global race to acquire lithium mines in countries like Chile, Argentina and Australia, sodium-ion batteries may prove to be game changer.
Other technologies being explored include aluminium air batteries and vanadium batteries and flow butteries. Along with looking for lithium sourcing and exploring domestic reserves, the Centre is at the same time looking for alternative minerals and chemistries.
A production linked incentive scheme for 'niche' batteries is already in the works wherein newer chemistries would be explored and research and development would be promoted. Battery companies are also looking at rolling out batteries with newer chemistries.
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