Featured Image: Representational photograph | Credits: resourceworld.com
Indian authorities are exploring for uranium reserves at a distance of three kilometres from the India-China border in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, reports Economic Times. The exploration was taken up in Aalo of West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, at a height of 619 meters from the ground level.
Speaking on the sidelines of a one-day seminar on ‘radiation and environment’ organised by the Indian Nuclear Society, D K Sinha, director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) said that the exploration for uranium had yielded positive results and further activity would continue, which would also result in mining.
“We have got the required encouragement from the Centre and have taken up the exploration. There was no possibility to do heliborne exploration because of the hills. But we walked all the way up the hills to begin the exploration,” Sinha said in Hyderabad on Monday.
Sinha added that he went to the farthest village in the Indian side of the border, Mechuka valley.
Uranium is used for producing nuclear energy, which is considered a “clean energy”. Exploration for uranium has also been taken up in the nation’s other states as well. Efforts are also being made for uranium exploration in Himachal Pradesh, while locals in Manipur have also given their nod for exploration. Work is also going in Assam, Nagaland, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Jharkhand.
“Accessibility is one reason why exploration has been taken up in Arunachal Pradesh. Secondly, the political situation has made it more conducive to take up such activity for uranium exploration,” chairman and chief executive of Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) Dinesh Srivastava said.
Srivastava also said that NFC Kota was working to produce nuclear fuel bundles used for generating nuclear power. An amount of ₹4,200 crore was sanctioned by the Centre for the project. He stated that the project would be commissioned by the end of 2022. “We are self-sufficient in terms of fuel, technology, capacity for our nuclear power plants. In fact, we can also export if it is required,” Srivastava said. “Our quality is the best available in the world,” he said.
Lithium prospecting also gaining ground
“In Jharkhand we were exploring uranium, but also detected gold. Many other precious metals are found when we carry out exploration,” Sinha said.
Sinha added that exploration of lithium reserves is also gaining significance.
Lithium is a key element for new technologies and has applications in ceramics, glass, telecommunication and aerospace industries. The well-known uses of lithium are in lithium-ion batteries, lubricating grease, high energy additives to rocket propellants, optical modulators for mobile phones and as a converter to tritium used as a raw material for thermonuclear reactions i.e. fusion.
Preliminary surveys have shown the presence of lithium deposits in Karnataka’s Mandya district.
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