Is moon mining economically feasible?

[rdunk]

I know there is considerable on-going effort here that is related to the moon and its potential for profitable resources. So, I thought this current article would be of interest to some of you to get a feel for what others are thinking about this, as they discuss the associated possibilities.

Fox News - Space.com  By Leonard David Published January 12, 2015

The moon may offer pay dirt with a rewarding mother lode of resources, a celestial gift that is literally up for grabs. But what's really there for the taking, and at what cost?

A new assessment of whether or not there's an economic case for mining the moon has been put forward by Ian Crawford, a professor of planetary science and astrobiology at Birkbeck College, London. His appraisal is to appear in a forthcoming issue of the journal Progress in Physical Geography.

Crawford said it's hard to identify any single lunar resource that will be sufficiently valuable to drive a lunar resource extraction industry on its own. Nonetheless, he said the moon does possess abundant raw materials that are of potential economic interest. [Home On the Moon: How to Build a Lunar Colony (Infographic)]

Lunar resources could be used to help build up an industrial infrastructure in near-Earth space, Crawford said, a view shared by space scientist Paul Spudis of the Lunar Planetary Institute and others.

"If the moon's resources are going to be helpful, they are going to be helpful beyond the surface of the moon itself," Crawford said. Still, the overall case for any future payoff from exploiting the moon's resources has yet to be made, Crawford said.

"It's quite complicated," he told Space.com. "It's not simple at all."



More: http://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/01/12/is-moon-mining-economically-feasible/

[Sgt.Rocknroll]

Thank you for the post. Go here for the original article on Space.com and other related info.

http://www.space.com/

[zorgon]

HE3  3 billion metric tons estimated on the surface

The old space shuttle could hold 25 tons

25 tons would power the ENTIRE USA for ONE YEAR

It has been estimated that helium 3 would have a cash value of $5.7 billion a ton in terms of its current energy equivalent to oil at <$40 per barrel oil.

Thorium, Titanium  just lying around on the surface in large amounts





Who is this "Professor" that FOX interviewed? LOL

"It's quite complicated," he told Space.com. "It's not simple at all."

No it is very simple... if we don't get our ass up there CHINA will

[mutchie6g]

I ask you is this the direction we humans should be heading in ?

We start off raping mother earth of her resources and we take it to the Extreme now our technology has ADVANCED we are looking at our MOON and if it makes economic sense WE WILL START RAPING HER IF WE HAVE NOT ALREADY ....

Eventually we WILL use most of what is available considering the current population size and the rate at which we consume minerals and other stuffs WHAT THEN ?

Do we head in the direction of a NOMADIC SPECIES roaming space forever on the lookout for THINGS TO EXPLOIT !!!

I suggest we find ways to AVOID THIS ..... 

[Sgt.Rocknroll]

The commercialization of space is an absolute enivability! The question is are gigantic companies like Weyland Yutani etal corner the action? Or should the average human being get a chance at the action? Humans are animals and the fastest will win. Speed kills.

And I disagree that the Earth has been raped. It is a living entity that is constantly evolving/changing. As long as the sun doesn't go super nova, it will continue to refresh its self. Man thinks to much of himself.

[Senona]

Just because we 'can'  get resources from the moon does not mean we 'should'

Also, can the moon revive itself like Mother Earth has been able to do over the thousands of years?

Man is a greedy animal that only thinks of the money aspect (profitability) that he can gain

Strip mine the moon?
Who da thunk that....LOL

All through history man  finds out 'after the fact' of doing something the consequences, and not all of it good
Is this something thought out or are they just eyeballing the possibility of uranium and other resources--wanting to beat another country to it


HEY....in the case of more than one country going for  this, who claims dibs on the rights to the moon??
Just curious

[Sgt.Rocknroll]

Just because we 'can'  get resources from the moon does not mean we 'should'

Also, can the moon revive itself like Mother Earth has been able to do over the thousands of years?

Man is a greedy animal that only thinks of the money aspect (profitability) that he can gain

Strip mine the moon?
Who da thunk that....LOL

All through history man  finds out 'after the fact' of doing something the consequences, and not all of it good
Is this something thought out or are they just eyeballing the possibility of uranium and other resources--wanting to beat another country to it


HEY....in the case of more than one country going for  this, who claims dibs on the rights to the moon??
Just curious

Do a little more reading here on Pegasus and you'll find out who has dibs on the moon. Search for 'UMLR' and you'll find the rest of the story.

Universal Minerals Leases Registry/ROC/Galactic Resource Management (Ron, John and ME  )..

and as a side note you don't need to strip mine the moon for H3. Short answer, you just scrape the regolith down about 3 ft., Heat it, let it fall, scope it up....
I have a video on here somewhere that shows you how to do it. If not Google Galactic Research Mangement website on WIX. I have a video page there that explains it.

[micjer]

Is this not the same as the Anunnaki coming to earth and mining our gold?

[micjer]

Hey if it looks expensive to transport metals from the moon, I would suggest listing it on Shipping Wars.  Some one will bid next to nothing to do it!

http://www.uship.com/shippingwars/

[simon_alex0327]

Looks like China is in the race!!
http://www.inquisitr.com/1754279/helium-3-china-intends-to-strip-mine-the-moon-to-solve-worlds-energy-problems/

[Sgt.Rocknroll]

Looks like China is in the race!!
http://www.inquisitr.com/1754279/helium-3-china-intends-to-strip-mine-the-moon-to-solve-worlds-energy-problems/

You guys really need to read a little more on this site.

http://www.thelivingmoon.com/forum/index.php?topic=7352.0

[mutchie6g]

I commend Sgt RocknRoll

His post is CORRECT in the sense that mother Earth is ever evolving but i ask YOU ALL at the rate at which we are drilling ALL OVER THE WORLD how long do you think oil will LAST ? I have not checked how oil the human race consumes worldwide in 1 day ..... let alone 1 year ... This cannot go on FOREVER surely could there come a DAY when we may need to start converting to another fuel type say Helium 3 ... if that day ARRIVES the moon had BETTER LOOK OUT ..... cause althought there may be mining ops already they could end up being severely accelerated .... im just a simple welder so im not claiming to know exactly what im talking about but here in the oil capital of Europe ever since i was 16 and i start my apprenticeship i was told to male the MOST OF IT because they all said THE OIL WONT LAST 4EVER !!!!!!

I am Glad i am back here the threads are well laid out ......

Zorgon is doing a FINE JOB ......

[Sgt.Rocknroll]

I work for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. We currently have 728 million barrels of crude in the ground. There are other reserves around the world. Ours can run the U.S. Gov. For 3 days. 3 DAYS!  There are vast oil deposits that are still available and will last for a very long time. BUT Oil will not last forever. We need and unlimited source of clean energy. H3 fusion should be the answer and its waiting for us to take it!

[zorgon]

Just because we 'can'  get resources from the moon does not mean we 'should'

Well lets look at your 'logic'

Everyone here on Earth is screaming at the Oil Barons to stop frcking up the planet. I hear constant whining about 'alternatibe energy" "green energy"  "free energy" thta da gubment is withholding from us  On and on it goes


Then when we discover materials on the Moon that could solve all of mankinds energy needs for the next 10,000 years with an efficient clean burning fuel that produces NO WASTE  along comes those same people screaming

LEAVE THE MOON ALONE 

LOL

Thorium is all over the surface of the moon in the dust, so is Titanium. But there is HE3 by the million tons. 25 tons  a mere single shuttle load can power the entire USA for 1 year. HE3 fusion requires a piece of cardboard for shielding and leaves no radioactive waste

HE3 fusion confinement units are small and portable  and would be pretty close to those Mr Fusion things you see in Back to the Future

Your welcome to your opinion but your barking up the wrong tree here

[zorgon]

Hey if it looks expensive to transport metals from the moon, I would suggest listing it on Shipping Wars.  Some one will bid next to nothing to do it!

One thing I have noticed is that although people seek the answers  rarely do they look

The transport system is ALREADY in place.

Remember my test?  Remember the heavy lifters that were mentioned? Remember the Aquila Cargo Transport?

Remember the LIQUID version of that Cargo Ship?

Method of Delivering Lunar Generated Fluid 
to Earth Orbit Using an External Tank

US PATENT 5,092,545
Publication number: US5092545
Publication date: 1992-03-03
Inventor: BUTTERFIELD ANSEL J (US); GOSLEE JOHN W (US)
Applicant: NASA (US)


ABSTRACT
A method and apparatus are provided for delivering lunar generated fluid to Earth orbit from lunar orbit. Transport takes place in an external tank of a shuttle which has been suitably outfitted in Earth orbit for reusable travel between Earth orbit and a lunar orbit. The outfitting of the external tank includes the adding of an engine, an electrical system, a communication system, a guidance system, an aerobraking device, and a plurality of interconnected fluid storage tanks to the hydrogen and oxygen tanks of the external tank. The external tank is then propelled to lunar orbit the first time using Earth based propellant. In lunar orbit, the storage tanks are filled with the lunar generated fluid with the remainder tank volumes filled with lunar generated liquid oxygen and hydrogen which serve as propellants for returning the tank to Earth orbit where the fluid is off-loaded. The remaining lunar generated oxygen and hydrogen is then sufficient to return the external tank to lunar orbit so that a subsequent cycle of fluid delivery is repeated. A space station in a higher Earth orbit is preferably used to outfit the external tank, and a lunar node in lunar orbit is used to store and transfer the fluid and liquid oxygen and hydrogen to the external tank. The lunar generated fluid is preferably 3He.