Scientists have discovered a new type of quasicrystal, one with 12-fold symmetry, in the Sand Hills of north central Nebraska, USA.
What is a Quasicrystal?
Quasicrystal is essentially a crystal-like substance.
However, unlike a crystal, in which atoms are arranged in a repeating pattern, a quasicrystal consists of atoms that are arranged in a pattern that doesn’t repeat itself regularly.
For the longest time, physicists believed every crystalline arrangement of atoms must have a pattern that repeats itself perfectly over and over again.
However, this changed in 1982, when material scientist Dan Shechtman discovered crystal structures that are mathematically regular, but that do not repeat themselves.
How are they formed?
Electrical discharge triggered quasicrystal formation in the recent finding.
It’s also the first time that researchers have found a quasicrystal somewhere other than meteorites or the debris from nuclear blasts.
Applications of quasicrystals
There is no major commercial applications yet exploit properties of the quasicrystalline state directly.
Quasicrystals form in compounds noted for their high strength and light weight, suggesting potential applications in aerospace and other industries.
They can be used in surgical instruments, LED lights and non-stick frying pans.
Agasthyarkoodam was once home to a forgotten and long-lost 19th-century observatory established by Scottish meteorologist John Allan Broun.
Agasthyarkoodam Observatory
The Agasthyarkoodam Observatory is an astronomical research observatory located in the state of Kerala.
The observatory is situated at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level and is owned and operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
The observatory is equipped with a 1-meter optical telescope and various other instruments for studying the night sky.
The observatory is used for research and educational purposes and is open to the public for viewing night-sky objects.
Why in news?
Agasthyarkoodam in the Western Ghats once housed a magnetic observatory that was established by Scottish meteorologist John Allan Broun.
Broun used it to record magnetic and meteorological observations in tandem with the Thiruvananthapuram astronomical observatory.
Broun’s astronomical research in India began after he was invited by the ruler of the erstwhile Travancore Uthram Tirunal Marthanda Varma to helm the Thiruvananthapuram observatory following the death of its first director John Caldecott in 1849.
The observatory started recording observations in July 1855.
However, it was closed in 1881 by the then Madras Governor Sir William Denison.
What are magnetic observatories?
Magnetic observatories continuously measure and record Earth’s magnetic field at a number of locations.
In an observatory of this sort, magnetized needles with reflecting mirrors are suspended by quartz fibres.
Light beams reflected from the mirrors are imaged on a photographic negative mounted on a rotating drum.
Variations in the field cause corresponding deflections on the negative.
Their magnetograms are photographed on microfilm and submitted to world data centres, where they are available for scientific or practical use.
Recently, the sun puzzled many scientists with a large prominence near its north pole.
What is Solar Prominence?
A solar prominence (also known as a filament when viewed against the solar disk) is a large, bright feature extending outward from the Sun’s surface.
Prominences are anchored to the Sun’s surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Sun’s hot outer atmosphere, called the corona.
A prominence forms over timescales of about a day, and stable prominences may persist in the corona for several months, looping hundreds of thousands of miles into space.
How are they formed?
Scientists are still researching how and why prominences are formed.
The red-glowing looped material is plasma, a hot gas comprised of electrically charged hydrogen and helium.
The prominence plasma flows along a tangled and twisted structure of magnetic fields generated by the sun’s internal dynamo.
An erupting prominence occurs when such a structure becomes unstable and bursts outward, releasing the plasma.
A significant portion of single-use plastic gets piled up on coastlines and contributes to the growing burden of marine litter, endangering aquatic biodiversity. In India, anthropogenic activities add approximately eight million tonnes of plastic waste to the marine environment.
The demand for plastic products has grown drastically in the last few decades: The possible reasons for this dramatic surge can be attributed to its durability, flexibility, lightness and affordability.
Plastic production and generation: Globally, the annual production of plastic reached 460 million tonnes in 2019 and 353 million tonnes of plastic waste were also generated in the same year.
Approximately 50% is dumped in landfills: Approximately 50 per cent of plastic waste generated in the same year was dumped in landfills, according to the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development.
First use plastic: In 2021-22, India’s plastic demand was 20.89 million tonnes. About 40 per cent of this gets added to plastic waste after the first use, a Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment had found.
Key sources of Marine pollution
Land based sources: Land-based sources such as dumpsites located near the coastlines or banks of a river, flood waters, industrial outfalls, discharge from storm water drains, untreated municipal sewerage, beach litter, tourism, fishing, ship breaking yards, defence-related facilities, automobiles, industrial wastes, natural events, etc are the main factors contributing to the menace of marine litter.
Sea based sources: In addition to this, sea-based sources such as waste from ships, fishing vessels and other public transport and research facilities; offshore mining and extraction; legal and illegal waste dumping; ghost nets, natural events, etc add to it.
Alarming situation
There may be more plastic than fish in oceans by 2050: Tributaries of major Indian rivers also carry around 15-20 per cent of plastic waste into the marine environment. If this trend continues, there may be more plastic than fish in oceans by 2050, warned many recent researchers on this front.
Microplastics in food chain: Marine debris can transcend international borders and disperse to faraway locations from its place of origin. Since marine species consume microplastics, they can eventually sweep into our food chain.
Bioaccumulation of chemicals endangers Human health: Additionally, leached chemicals may also bioaccumulate in these species and endanger human health.
Government efforts so far
Banned single use plastic: From July 1, 2022, the Union government banned the manufacturing, selling, use and storage of 19 identified single-use plastic items. Still, the ban is not effective as prohibited items have been found in use in almost every Indian city.
Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM): The central and state governments have already allocated a SBM and disbursed more than Rs 3,000 crore on public awareness campaigns and coastal area cleaning drives.
Coastal cleaning programme: The National Centre for Coastal Research, a body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, led a coastal cleaning programme covering 7,500 kilometres.
Did you know?
Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar, a 75-day citizen-led campaign for improving ocean health through collective action, was launched on July 5, 2022.
It has three strategic underlying goals that target transformation and environmental protection through behaviour change.
The three underlying goals of the campaign are, consume responsibly, segregate waste at home and dispose of it responsibly.
Way forward
Enlisting multi-layered plastic packaging in banned list: The government needs to enlist multi-layered plastic packaging items in the list of banned items; only 19 plastic items have been considered as of now.
Effective enforcement: Effective enforcement and penalty against defaulters is required as the government has already spent a lot on public awareness campaigns in the last six year.
Strict monitoring of CRZ: There should be strict implementation and monitoring of Coastal Regulation Zone and Special Area Planning guidelines in order to curb haphazard constructions along the coastlines. A National Marine Litter Policy needs to be formulated as early as possible.
Conclusion
A long-term vision plan should be developed for promoting partnerships among coastal towns, cities and urban administration for the reduction of marine litter and the creation of sustainable waste management ecosystems. Marine litter is complicated and a multi-layered problem has to be arrested at the earliest to safeguard the health of humans as well as the environment.
Mains question
Q. Marine litter is complicated and a multi-layered problem has to be arrested at the earliest to safeguard the health of humans as well as the environment. Discuss.
UPSC Workshop for 2nd Day: Decoding How to start UPSC 2024 preparation like a Topper? | Register 1-1 Live Session With 2 UPSC Rankers to get a free PDF of the most value-added notes
UPSC has a very rational approach w.r.t. the IAS-IPS exam. In every stage of the exam- Prelims, Mains, and Interview it has certain expectations from the candidate, you in this case. Whether you are worthy or not is then judged by the exam set by UPSC.
The issue that most of the aspirants face is the lack of clarity about what the UPSC really expects from them. They tend to go haywire in their preparation, not knowing how to prioritize and what to study, which often leads to confusion, frustration and in some cases, repeated failures.
The solution to this problem lies in understanding the expectations of the UPSC at each stage of the exam. Knowing what the UPSC wants from the aspirants will help in shaping up their preparation, making it more effective and result-oriented.
By having a clear understanding of the UPSC’s expectations, aspirants can align their preparation accordingly, prioritize their study material, and set realistic targets. This will not only help in saving time and effort but also increase the chances of success. In addition, it will bring consistency to their preparation and make it more productive.
How 99% of aspirants crowd follow the traditional way to start UPSC preparation blindly. And so the ultimate success rate is 0.0053%. But, how do toppers avoid this, start UPSC preparation & acquire a day ‘0’ advantage?
Having a Clear Understanding of the UPSC’s expectations, syllabus and pattern.
Different approaches you should be having for different stages of UPSC CSE and integrating those approaches.
Following 80/20 principle for UPSC prep
Make a Study Plan and Stick to It
Learn How to Manage Time, Resources and prioritize tasks
Break Down the Syllabus into Revision-Manageable Parts
How to read newspapers and magazines regularly
Make Notes & Use Flashcards
Analyze Your Weakness and Strengths
Understand the Pattern and Marking Scheme
Do’s and Dont’s; and breaking the myths around UPSC. Eg. Aspirants from rural or non-engineering backgrounds are at a disadvantage
Get recorded session of Day 1: How to crack UPSC with 5hr/day prep? Time management for Working UPSC 2023 & 2024 aspirants
👨🎓By Soham sir, AIR 267, Super Mentor- Civilsdaily
11th Feb 2023 (Saturday), 7:30 pm
Soham Mandhare, IRS and a Super Mentor at CivilsDaily will be LIVE for a 1-1 LIVE webinar to discuss practical and proven Time-Management strategies to bring productivity and efficiency to your UPSC preparation, with just 5 hours of study time.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was regarded as a revolutionary technology around the early 21st century. Although it has encountered its rise and fall, currently its rapid and pervasive applications have been termed the second coming of AI. It is employed in a variety of sectors, and there is a drive to create practical applications that may improve our daily lives and society. Healthcare is a highly promising, but also a challenging domain for AI.
While still in its early stages, AI applications are rapidly evolving.
For instance, ChatGPT is a large language model (LLM) that utilizes deep learning techniques that are trained on text data.
This model has been used in a variety of applications, including language translation, text summarisation, conversation generation, text-to-text generation and others.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
AI is a constellation of technologies that enable machines to act with higher levels of intelligence and emulate the human capabilities of sense, comprehend and act.
The natural language processing and inference engines can enable AI systems to analyze and understand the information collected.
An AI system can also take action through technologies such as expert systems and inference engines or undertake actions in the physical world.
These human-like capabilities are augmented by the ability to learn from experience and keep adapting over time.
AI systems are finding ever-wider application to supplement these capabilities across various sectors.
Concerns of Using AI tools in medical field
The potential for misinformation to be generated: As the model is trained on a large volume of data, it may inadvertently include misinformation in its responses. This could lead to patients receiving incorrect or harmful medical advice, potentially leading to serious health consequences.
The potential for bias to be introduced into the results: As the model is trained on data, it may perpetuate existing biases and stereotypes, leading to inaccurate or unfair conclusions in research studies as well as in routine care.
Ethical concerns: In addition, AI tools’ ability to generate human-like text can also raise ethical concerns in various sectors such as in the research field, education, journalism, law, etc.
For example: The model can be used to generate fake scientific papers and articles, which can potentially deceive researchers and mislead the scientific community.
AI tools should be used with caution considering the context
Governance framework: The governance framework can help manage the potential risks and harms by setting standards, monitoring and enforcing policies and regulations, providing feedback and reports on their performance, and ensuring development and deployment with respect to ethical principles, human rights, and safety considerations.
Ensuring the awareness about possible negative consequences: Additionally, governance frameworks can promote accountability and transparency by ensuring that researchers and practitioners are aware of the possible negative consequences of implementing this paradigm and encouraging them to employ it responsibly.
A platform for dialogue and exchange of information: The deployment of a governance framework can provide a structured approach for dialogue and facilitate the exchange of information and perspectives among stakeholders, leading to the development of more effective solutions to the problem.
Relational governance model into the AI governance framework: Relational governance is a model that considers the relationships between various stakeholders in the governance of AI.
Establishing international agreements and standards: At the international level, relational governance in AI in healthcare (AI-H) can be facilitated through the establishment of international agreements and standards. This includes agreements on data privacy and security, as well as ethical and transparent AI development.
Use of AI in responsible manner across borders: By establishing a common understanding of the responsibilities of each stakeholder in AI governance, international collaboration can help to ensure that AI is used in a consistent and responsible manner across borders.
Government regulations at national level: At the national level, relational governance in AI-H can be implemented through government regulations and policies that reflect the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder. This includes laws and regulations on data privacy and security, as well as policies that encourage the ethical and transparent use of AI-H.
Regular monitoring and strict compliance mechanism: Setting up periodic monitoring/auditing systems and enforcement mechanisms, and imposing sanctions on the industry for noncompliance with the legislation can all help to promote the appropriate use of AI.
Education and awareness at the user level: Patients and healthcare providers should be informed about the benefits and risks of AI, as well as their rights and responsibilities in relation to AI use. This can help to build trust and confidence in AI systems, and encourage the responsible use of AI-H.
Industry-led initiatives and standards at the industry level: The relational governance in AI-H can be promoted through industry-led initiatives and standards. This includes establishing industry standards and norms (for example, International Organization for Standardization) based on user requirements (healthcare providers, patients, and governments), as well as implementing data privacy and security measures in AI systems.
Conclusion
India’s presidency of the G20 summit provides a platform to initiate dialogue on AI regulation and highlight the need for the implementation of AI regulations in healthcare. The G20 members can collaborate to create AI regulation, considering the unique needs and challenges of the healthcare sector. The set of measures, carried out at various levels, need to assure that AI systems are regularly reviewed and updated and ensure that they remain effective and safe for patients.
Mains question
Q. Use of AI in Healthcare is highly promising but also a challenging domain. Discuss. Suggest what should be the right approach for AI regulation in Healthcare?
Maternal mortality rates remain high in low- and middle-income countries, where 94 percent of all cases are recorded. In India, maternal mortality ratio stands at 113 per 100,000 live births; the government is aiming to reduce the incidence to below 70 by 2030. Experts agree that the promotion of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is among the keys to addressing this massive challenge. Achieving global targets on SRH, in turn, greatly depends on a collective commitment to improve menstrual health and hygiene (MHH).
Lack adequate access to information and service: The stark reality is that individuals who menstruate lack adequate access to information and services around SRH and are unable to exercise their SRH rights throughout their life cycle. Among the factors for this lack of access are poor economic and educational outcomes.
For instance: Multiple studies in different developing countries have shown that those with fewer number of schooling years tend to experience early sexual initiation and early marriage, have higher fertility rates, and suffer poor maternal outcomes.
Multiple barriers hinder the promotion of menstrual health and hygiene: Barriers that include socio-cultural norms that regard menstruation as taboo, and biological and medical issues such as urinary tract infections, and abnormal urinary bleeding that can be caused by fibroids.
Vicious circle of poor SRH: These issues diminish the agency of menstruating individuals in making decisions related to sex, relationships, family planning, and contraceptive use. This sets them back into the vicious circle of poor SRH.
Lack of privacy and dignity: Menstruation-related challenges are seen in schools, work places, and communities where menstruating individuals cannot safely manage their needs with privacy and dignity.
Taboos and myths: In certain communities, restrictive social norms do not allow menstruating individuals to pray, bathe, sleep in the same bed as others, or make food. In India, taboos and myths hinder the optimal use of the more than 8,000 Adolescents-Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) set up by the government across the country.
Global Outlook
Menstrual health is often neglected in SRH agendas: Despite strong evidence that one of the anchors of sexual and reproductive health is menstrual health, governments, policymakers, and NGOs rarely include menstrual health in their SRH agendas.
Little attention had been paid: Although SRH was the focus of both the World Population Day and Gender Equality Forum in 2021, little attention has been paid, if at all, to menstrual health.
For example during the vaccination, menstrual health was not taken into account: Early studies also suggest that during the production of COVID-19 vaccines, menstrual health was not taken into account while conducting the pilot studies on understanding the efficacy of the vaccine.
The education aspect is also lacking: A study of education policy documents across 21 developing countries found little attention to menstrual health. Of those countries that appeared to have MHH in their health and education agenda in the last decade, the focus was on the distribution of disposable sanitary pads, largely for schoolgirls; they tended to ignore the other issues related to menstrual health and hygiene including safety, disposal, right to dignity and providing choices to people who menstruate.
A Framework for mainstreaming menstrual health and hygiene in India
Promoting Menstrual Health and Hygiene Education: Conversations around menstruation should be started in schools and local communities by including menstrual health and hygiene in sessions on reproductive health.
For instance: In 2007, the Indian government introduced the Adolescent Education Program to promote discussions around sexual education, but it received backlash from teachers and parents. Sociocultural issues are equally important and should be given attention by stakeholders.
Knowledge about the products they use: Programmes should be initiated that will focus on distributing disposable sanitary pads to girls and women, and not only those who are in school. As the discourse on menstruation is now shifting toward sustainable menstruation, it is crucial to equip individuals who menstruate with knowledge about the potential harm of the period products they use.
Sensitizing gatekeepers: Organising sensitisation workshops for gatekeepers such as teachers, healthcare workers, and women in local communities would go a long way in helping young people who menstruate. Recent studies, suggest that mothers, teachers, and healthcare workers are the first sources of information for adolescent girls about menstruation in India.
Creating supportive space: Adolescent boys, and men, need to be involved in the conversation around MHH to create supportive spaces. These conversations will help them understand the importance of MHH and prompt changes in societal norms, including removing the stigma around menstruation.
Conversations around menstruation need to include trans and non-binary individuals: Menstruation is a variable concept, such that many women do not menstruate, while some transmen, non-binary individuals, and people with masculine gender identities do. The feminisation of menstruation has led to the exclusion of transgender and non-binary people from the discourse.
Improving MHH infrastructure and WASH facilities: Workplace policies for individuals who menstruate should be laid out, including the provision of adequate WASH facilities. There need to engage with the multi-sector stakeholders who can work in improving MHH infrastructure and WASH facilities.
Way ahead
Raising awareness about the menstrual cycle should be among the priorities of communities and policymakers.
There is a need to make SRH programming gender-transformative, first by recognising the link between MHH and SRH.
The task is urgent, given the economic case to sexual and reproductive health: i.e., promoting SRH helps improve a country’s economic, educational and development outcomes.
The UN High-Level Meeting (UNHLM), 2023 Action Plan, which underlines the need to “leave no one behind” in global goals on universal health care, must bring menstrual health and hygiene to the forefront of the SRH agenda.
As per 2011 Census data, around 0.5 million individuals self-identify as third gender[b] in India. There is a need to engage communities and educate them about the LGBTQIA+ population and enhance their SRH knowledge by looking at the menstrual health discourse with the core principle of inclusivity.
Conclusion
Global and national agendas on sexual and reproductive health continue to give little attention to its link with menstrual health. Integrated attention to the links between MHH and SRH can advance the mutual goals of both sectors, and improve the health and well-being of individuals who menstruate, throughout their entire life cycle.
Mains question
Q. The link between Menstrual health and hygiene with sexual reproductive health is often neglected in policymaking. Highlight the challenges for promoting menstrual health and give suggestions.
In a little over a week since New York-based investor research firm Hindenburg Research has accused industrialist Gautam Adani-led conglomerate of “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades”.
This edition of the Burning issue will elaborate on the Hindenberg research issue and other factors coming out of the issue.
About the Hindenberg group and its report
Hindenburg Research is a company that specializes in forensic financial research.
It especially looks for accounting irregularities; undisclosed related-party transactions; illegal/ unethical business or financial reporting practices; and undisclosed regulatory, product, or financial issues in companies.
In late January, Hindenburg Research, which specializes in short selling, published a report critical of the group’s finances.
The research firm, which has short positions in Adani companies through US-traded bonds and non-Indian-traded derivative instruments, said key listed companies in the group had “substantial debt” which has put the entire group on a “precarious financial footing”.
Outcome of the report
The seven listed firms have still lost about half their market value – or more than USD 100 billion combined – since the US-based short-seller last week questioned the group over its debt levels, Reuters reported. The listed Adani firms now have a combined market value of USD 108 billion, versus USD 218 billion before Hindenburg’s report.
Political storm: The report has also caused a political storm in the country with opposition stalling the parliament and demanding a JPC or Supreme court led investigation of the allegations against the Adani Group on the basis of the Hindenburg report.
UPSC exam perspective
Since the issue is still evolving and both sides are claiming them to be true, the actual truth remains unknown.
Therefore, this article will tell about both facets of the issue.
The Brighter Picture
Importance of Billionaires for a Nation
Development of industries: Companies established by these billionaires invest in the development of industries in a nation which in turn helps in the development of the nation. The Reliance group’s telecom giant Jio, Reliance petrochemical plants and Adani Ports, energy are to name a few.
The face of nation: billionaires represent the face of their nation. Bill Gates, Elon musk, Jack Ma, Mukesh Ambani are well-known billionaires recognized around the world.
Brings investment: the companies of these billionaires attract a huge amount of foreign investments which help a lot in bringing new technologies and also capital in the domestic economy. For example- Google has paid ₹33,737 crores to Jio Platforms Limited, a subsidiary of the Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).
Reduce import dependence: With the coming of new technologies or establishing industries for the manufacturing of the products not produced in the country, companies of these billionaires help in reducing imports of the nation. For example, the TATA group, Reliance and Adani have established their defense manufacturing companies which are helping in reducing defence imports and indigenization of defence products.
Represent face of emerging India– Oxfam India’s latest report which was released on the opening day of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland reveals that the total number of billionaires in India increased from 102 in 2020 to 166 billionaires in 2022. It’s an indication of the growing economy in India.
High taxes to government: The billionaires and their companies pay high amounts of taxes to the government, therefore, helping the nation grow. According to an estimate, A 2% tax on the top 100 billionaires would give the government enough money to raise health expenditure to 3% of the GDP.
Philanthropy: Billionaires in India are well known for their philanthropy. Billionaires Gautam Adani, HCL Technologies’ Shiv Nadar, and Happiest Minds Technologies’ Ashok Soota are the three Indians who have been named in the 16th edition of Forbes Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy list.
The case of Adani group and its contribution to India’s growth
Adani Group is one of India’s largest conglomerates and is involved in a wide range of industries and activities, including energy, infrastructure, logistics, resources, agribusiness, and real estate.
Adani has been instrumental in the development of India’s energy security, with the Adani Group owning and operating the world’s largest solar power plant in Gujarat. Additionally, Adani’s efforts have resulted in the development of numerous infrastructure projects across India, such as ports, airports, roads, and highways. His company is also involved in activities such as mining, power generation, and transmission, and is a major player in the renewable energy sector.
In addition to his business accomplishments, Adani has also been involved in several philanthropic initiatives, such as the Adani Foundation, which provides education and healthcare services to underprivileged communities.
The Darker Picture
Leads to crony capitalism: A political-economic system in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials, rather than on merit and competition. Adani Group (CAG report highlighted “undue benefits” that the Gujarat government gave to Adani Ports by waiving waterfront and other charges); The 2G spectrum scam; Coalgate Scandal etc. Also, India was ranked in 9th position in crony capitalism where crony sector wealth accounted for 3.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Creates Distrust in the economy: The revelation of facts, such as by the Hindenberg Report, creates distrust in the economy leading to decreased capital inflows and thus investments.
Stock market crashes: Such a report causes economic loss to companies as happened recently with Adani company’s stocks.
Propaganda against India: such reports are also claimed to be part of the propaganda to tarnish India’s image at the global level. The timing of the release of the Hindenburg report is susceptible- just before release of Rs 20,000 crore FPO by Adani group and the Budget session of Indian parliament.
Ethical issues with billionaires
Tax Avoidance: Many billionaires take advantage of loopholes and offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes on their income, depriving governments of much-needed revenue.
The exploitation of Workers: Billionaires often employ workers from developing countries, paying them low wages and subjecting them to poor working conditions.
Political Power: Some billionaires use their wealth to influence politicians and governments, creating a system of unequal power and privilege.
Concentration of Wealth: The vast wealth of billionaires is often seen as morally wrong when so many people in the world live in poverty.
Conclusion
The ultimate major loser in this row is the investors in Adani Group who suffered losses after the short-seller Hindenburg Research’s report. Thus, currently, there is a need to safeguard the investors.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) should suggest measures to ensure the protection of Indian investors after the short selling.
Simultaneously, the allegations against Adani Group must be verified by SEBI through an independent inquiry along with the role of Hindenberg Research in the whole issue.
The Geological Survey of India found “inferred resources” of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium in the Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir.
What is Lithium?
Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3.
It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal and is the lightest metal on the periodic table.
It is used in a variety of applications, including batteries, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, and nuclear weapons.
What are Inferred Resources?
According to the mines and minerals act, the exploration for any mineral deposit involves four stages: reconnaissance survey (G4), preliminary exploration (G3), general exploration (G2) and detailed exploration (G1).
Resources identified after G4 are called ‘reconnaissance mineral resource”, those identified after G3 are “inferred mineral resource”, G2 leads to “indicated mineral resource” and G4 precedes “measured mineral resource.”
Applications of Lithium
Lithium-ion batteries: Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in consumer electronics such as laptops, cellphones, and portable music players due to their high energy density and low self-discharge rate.
Pharmaceuticals: Lithium is used in the treatment of bipolar disorder and other mental health disorders. It can be used to treat symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and aggression.
Heat transfer fluids: Lithium is used as a heat transfer fluid in nuclear power plants, as it can absorb and store large amounts of heat.
Air conditioning: Lithium-based compounds are used in air conditioning systems to absorb and store heat, which helps to cool air.
Alloy production: Lithium is used to produce lightweight alloys for aircraft and spacecraft, as well as components for other vehicles.
Grease lubricants: Lithium-based grease lubricants are used in automotive and industrial applications due to their high temperature and pressure tolerance.
Significance of this discovery
Clean energy goals: This has raised hopes of India possibly developing its own source of a metal key to its clean energy goals.
Import cuts: It would reduce the need for imports. The government was taking several measures to secure minerals, including lithium, from Australia and Argentina.
Enhance battery production: The find is a major boost to the manufacture of rechargeable batteries for smartphones, laptops and electric cars.
Back2Basics: Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957
It is an Act of the Parliament enacted to regulate the mining sector in India.
It regulates all activities related to the prospecting for, extraction and disposal of minerals in India.
The Act was amended in 2015 to incorporate the changes brought about by the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015.
The amendment Act has been enacted to ensure that the mining sector is developed in a sustainable and efficient manner, taking into account the interests of stakeholders including the local communities.
The Act also provides for the sharing of revenues between the Union and the States.
Types of Minerals Covered
Metallic Minerals: Iron ore, manganese ore, chrome ore, bauxite, copper ore, gold ore, lead ore, zinc ore, etc.
