In a move to better investigate and research lithium reserves in Pakistan, a strategic agreement was signed between the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences and Tianqi Lithium Co. According to China Economic Net (CEN), the arrangement agreed at international conference on lithium battery industry held in Sichuan China. As per a statement by the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences, the strategic agreement says that both parties will collaborate on the research and application of lithium resources in Pakistan. 

Efforts will also go to personnel training and academic exchanges to develop joint research on lithium resources in the country. Lithium reserves have emerged as an important source in the electronic vehicle (EV) industry around the world including Pakistan since the resources are the main raw material of EV battery, which takes up a sizeable portion of EV production cost. According to Volza’s lithium imports data in Pakistan, Pakistan imports most of its lithium products including lithium primary cells and batteries from countries such as China, the United States and Germany.

Last year, Pakistan devised the Automotive Industry Development and Export Plan (AIDEP 2021-26) with an aim to boost the local EV industry, bring related manufacturing locally and also reduce the use of fossil fuel. Headquartered in China’s southwestern province of Sichuan, Tianqi Lithium is a global leader in developing and manufacturing lithium products, notably developing lithium-ion battery technologies for application in the electric vehicle and energy storage industries.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP