Discovery of high-grade lithium in Sindh’s Khairpur district, coupled with a new extraction technology partnership, could position Pakistan as a future supplier of a critical mineral for electric vehicles and clean energy.
Pakistan has moved closer to becoming part of the global lithium supply chain after the discovery of high-grade lithium in Sindh’s Khairpur district. The development is being viewed as a major milestone that could support the country’s clean energy ambitions and lay the foundation for its first domestic lithium industry.
The breakthrough follows a strategic agreement between the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH). The partnership aims to develop commercially viable technology to extract lithium from geothermal brine, following the successful identification of high-quality lithium in water produced from a well in Khairpur.
According to officials associated with the project, researchers will focus on designing an efficient extraction process capable of supporting large-scale commercial production. If successful, Pakistan could reduce its dependence on imported battery materials while creating a new high-value industrial sector linked to electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and advanced technologies.
Lithium is considered one of the world’s most valuable critical minerals because it is essential for manufacturing rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones, laptops, and grid-scale energy storage systems. As global demand continues to rise, countries with commercially viable lithium resources are attracting significant investment from technology and mining companies.
Authorities have also expanded exploration efforts across Sindh. Plans are underway to examine eight to ten additional wells for lithium-rich geothermal brine deposits, increasing the prospects of identifying larger commercially viable reserves.
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