Hi readers!
India.com on December 18, 2024, published a story titled
“Saudi Arabia hits JACKPOT, discovers white gold in her oil fields; what it means for the kingdom’s oil-rich economy”?
Lithium (also called white gold for its rarity) is a chemical element which is so soft that it can be cut with a kitchen knife. It reacts violently with water to produce flammable hydrogen gas and sodium hydro oxide (NaOH) also known as caustic soda because it corrodes organic tissues.
Lithium is used in
Rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, and electric vehicles,
Alloys with aluminum and magnesium to improve their strength and make them lighter.
Special glasses and glass ceramics,
Drugs to treat hysterical depression and
as a lubricant.
Australia and Chile are the world’s largest producers of lithium.
Saudi Arabia, whose economy is based on her vast reserves of oil and natural gas, has found another source to diversify her rich economy through recently found lithium reserves in her oil fields near the sea.
According to reports, Saudi Arabia’s state-owned petroleum and natural gas company, “Aramco” extracted lithium under a pilot project from one of her oil fields.
Imagin, the country rich in oil is looking to diversify her economy through lithium and has already started extraction. That is how forward-looking nations work.
“They are extracting lithium through their new technology developed in King Abdullah University for Science and Technology, and they are accelerating development in this regard”
Saudi deputy Minister for mining said, “They are building a commercial pilot plant at the oil fields to let the brines coming out of the field to feed the plant on a continuous basis.”
The cost of extracting lithium from the brine runoffs is higher than the traditional method of extraction from salt flats, but if lithium prices grew, (which definitely will), the project would soon become commercially viable, said the Deputy Minister of Mining.
Saudi Arabia has spent billions on trying to turn itself into a hub for EVs (electric vehicles) where people can recharge their batteries as part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision to find an alternative which they now found and has already started working upon it.
Lithium has been considered the future of global energy as the fossil fuel reserves across the world has already dwindled. Lithium is a strong candidate for replacing oil and other traditional fossil fuels as the number one source for energy around the globe. Currently, Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are used to power up almost every electronic gadget from electric cars, laptops, and smartphones to emergency lights, toys, and every gadget used in daily life.
Li-ion batteries are popular because they are lightweight, have a high energy density, and can be recharged, making them an inexpensive energy solution for a wide range of electronics.
According to LEAD Pakistan, October 12th,2021, Pakistan possesses substantial lithium reserves in Gilgit-Baltistan, Baluchistan, and a few other places as reported by the Metal Mining Agency of Japan, which may fulfill global demand for nearly 500 years. The country has the capacity to produce 1-3 million tons of lithium per annum.
Dear readers, Pakistan’s largest province is also bestowed upon her by the God Almighty, immense natural resources, including mineral reserves estimated at USD1 trillion
However,
The biggest question is would Pakistan ever be able to use it?
76 years history says NO rather, we will destroy every effort to do so with religious zeal. We are our own enemies, visionless, sense less people with no foresight. We will probably loose such treasures in lieu of our heavily borrowed capital which we are unable to pay. We are born baggers and will remain so till our last breath. It appears as if we have given some sort of undertaking to those who facilitated the creation of this country pledging that we will not let this country stabilize, be civilized and let it prosper as it is against the objectives of those whose interests were supposed to be watched through creation of this country. Probably that’s why after 76 years we are still living on borrowed vision and borrowed capital. If this is so, for God’s sake borrow some vision from Saudia if you must because we are already borrowing capital from KSA. Perhaps it will work this time?
May Allah bless this country and those taking care of her.
See you next week. Take care bye.
