Rare metal Vanadium, crucial for batteries, discovered off Gujarat coast

In a noteworthy finding, vanadium, a vital raw mineral required for several industrial uses, was found in sediment samples taken from the Gulf of Khambhat, close to Alang in Gujarat. In India’s natural resource environment, vanadium is noteworthy for being rather uncommon. The industry will benefit greatly from this discovery as vanadium is a key raw element utilized in the manufacture of batteries, which is significant given the nation’s long-term efforts to increase EV manufacturing.

Geological Survey of India (GSI) researchers found a potential new source. The report indicated that B Gopakumar, a researcher from the Marine and Coastal Survey Division (MCSD) of GSI, Mangalore, referred to this discovery as the first occurrence of Vanadium in the offshore sediments of India in an article published in the journal “Nature.”

Vanadium is a rare element that is hard to come by in its pure form, making its production expensive. It is present in 55 different minerals. However, it has been found in the mineral titanomagnetite, which is a byproduct of the fast cooling of molten lava, near the Gulf of Khambhat.

Vanadium alloys with titanium and aluminium are essential

The Narmada and Tapi rivers, according to researchers, may have served as a route for the vanadiferous titanomagnetite deposits in the Gulf of Khambhat to go from the Deccan basalt region. The use of vanadium is significant, notably in aerospace, defense, and energy storage technologies. Vanadium alloys with titanium and aluminum are essential for producing parts for jet engines and the frames of high-speed aircraft.

Because it is a raw material for industry and has uses in both the aerospace and military industries, vanadium may be very helpful. Experts claim that titanium and Vanadium redox batteries can be utilized to store energy and to reinforce steel. Due to its resistance to corrosion and high temperatures, it is also utilized in electrical components and jet engine parts when combined with titanium and aluminum. Additionally, it is used in the creation of vanadium redox flow batteries, which have a great deal of potential as large-scale energy storage systems. Vanadium has been found in trace levels in places like Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, and Maharashtra in the past.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) discovered 5.9 million tonnes of lithium deposits in the Jammu and Kashmir area in February of this year, which was an equally significant discovery. Government authorities and important car sector players were ecstatic about this discovery. They praised the potential of these reserves to support India’s goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions and promote domestic electric transportation, hailing it as a paradigm-shifting development.

Another lithium resource was discovered in Rajasthan’s Degana, and if the locations are suitable for mining, it may satisfy 80% of India’s lithium needs. The discovery was hailed by the government as a game-changer since it might help PM Narendra Modi reach his goal of having no emissions by 2070.

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