Rare metal Vanadium discovered at Gujarat Coast
Rare vanadium metal, critical for various industrial applications, were discovered from the Gulf of Khambhat, near Alang in Gujarat.
Gandhinagar: In a significant development, sediment samples collected from the Gulf of Khambhat, near Alang in Gujarat, have uncovered the presence of vanadium, a rare metal critical for various industrial applications. Vanadium’s scarcity within India’s natural resources makes this discovery especially promising, given India’s persistent efforts to bolster electric vehicle (EV) production. Vanadium is a crucial raw material used in battery manufacturing, making this discovery a potential boon for the industry.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) made this noteworthy discovery, analogous to their previous revelation of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir, a few months ago. These discoveries have garnered enthusiasm within the automotive industry and government circles, highlighting their potential to accelerate India’s journey toward achieving net-zero carbon emissions and promoting domestic electric mobility.
B Gopakumar, a researcher from the Marine and Coastal Survey Division (MCSD) of GSI, Mangalore, referred to this finding as the first occurrence of vanadium in offshore sediments within India. Vanadium, primarily found in 55 different minerals, is often challenging and expensive to extract in its pure form. However, in the Gulf of Khambhat, it has been identified within the mineral titanomagnetite, formed through the rapid cooling of molten lava.
Researchers suggest that the vanadiferous titanomagnetite deposits in the Gulf of Khambhat may have been transported from the Deccan basalts region through the Narmada and Tapi rivers. Vanadium’s importance lies in its applications, particularly in defense, aerospace, and energy storage solutions. Alloys of vanadium with titanium and aluminum are critical in manufacturing components for jet engines and high-speed aircraft frames.
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Furthermore, vanadium is used to produce essential electronic components and alloys known for temperature resistance, wear-resistance, and corrosion resistance. It is also a key component in vanadium redox flow batteries, showcasing immense potential for large-scale energy storage solutions. While small amounts of vanadium have been discovered in various regions across India in the past, this offshore discovery holds promise for India’s pursuit of net-zero emissions.
