Abu dhabi: China has discovered a massive lithium ore deposit totaling 490 million tonnes in Central Hunan Province, according to the provincial department of natural resources.
According to Emirates News Agency, the deposit, categorized as an altered granite-type lithium deposit, contains approximately 1.31 million tonnes of lithium oxide, as reported by China Daily. In addition to lithium, the deposit also contains other minerals, including rubidium, tungsten, and tin, the department added.
The China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources stated in January that the country's lithium reserves had increased to 16.5 percent of the global total, propelling it to the second place in the world rankings. This discovery is expected to accelerate the shifting landscape of global investment in battery metals.
International mining companies have already been raising exploration budgets for lithium projects across the globe, and China's new find could intensify the competition for securing future supplies.
