Page 134 - CW E-Magazine (27-8-2024)

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CRITICAL MINERALS

Union Minister calls for expediting lithium mineral

exploration in J&K

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh
has called for expediting the lithium
exploration efforts in the Reasi district
of Jammu & Kashmir, where early
signs indicate a signifi cant potential for
this critical mineral exists.
Speaking at the 6th Governing Body
meeting of National Mineral Explora-
tion Trust (NMET), chaired by Mr. G.
Kishan Reddy, Minister of Coal and
Mines, Dr. Singh remarked that the ex-
ploration work needs to be fast tracked
and all the desired help to be provided
to meet the deadline. Dr. Singh also urged State Govern- operationalised by the Mines Ministry
ment ministers present at the meeting and is funded by levies on proceeds
Union Secretary Mining, Mr. V.L. to utilise the opportunities available as from sale of domestically produced
Kanta Rao assured Dr. Singh that the NMET is providing 100% support for minerals in the county. Its purpose is to
lithium exploration work would be both infrastructure development and encourage carrying out of regional and
expedited and the results will be visible funding for mineral exploration pro- detailed exploration for augmentation
within the next few months. jects. NMET is a not-for-profi t trust of the country’s mineral resources.
WASTE-TO-WEALTH

IISc scientists develops CNSL-based surfactants

With industries and chemical labs
synthesising a wide variety of organic
molecules every day and most of them
done in water, they often undergo side
reactions, yielding unwanted toxic
products. To address this problem,
chemists use toxic organic solvents,
and more than 80% of the waste gene-
rated in chemical processes from such
solvents is not disposed of properly.

Scientists revealed that waste pro-
duced by cashews can be a good substi- derived from cashew nut shell liquid serves as a miscellar catalyst. “CNSL-
tute. India is the second largest producer (CNSL) – a waste product generated by 1000-M led to 80% higher product
of cashew nuts in the world; hence the the cashew nut industry. yields in water compared to reactions
raw material is easy and inexpensive to carried out in organic solvents. Com-
source. The Department of Inorganic The researchers combined cardanol, pared to existing surfactants, the new
and Physical Chemistry (IPC) at the a hydrophobic compound found in surfactant also gave 30% higher yields
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in CNSL, with m-PEG, a hydrophilic for reactions carried out in water,” read
Bangalore, has synthesised a surfactant polymer, to create their surfactant that a release from the IISc.

134 Chemical Weekly August 27, 2024

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