RE: "confirmed a globally unique helium producing province"18 Feb 2024 14:43
Interesting reading, University of Oxford News and Events page, 2nd March
New Study could help pinpoint hidden helium gas fieldsโฆ
Couple of points:
Helium is a $6 billion (ยฃ5.3 billion) market, with the gas being essential for the operation of MRI scanners, computer chips and fibre optic manufacture, and state of the art nuclear and cryogenic applications. A current global shortage has pushed supplies almost to a crisis point, with prices skyrocketing in recent years. The situation has been escalated by the Ukraine war, since this ruled out helium being supplied from the new Russian Amur plant, planned to supply 35% of the global helium demand
The model also suggests regions where large amounts of hydrogen gas may accumulate underground, since the radioactivity that generates helium also splits water to form hydrogen. With a global market of $135 billion, hydrogen is used to create fertiliser and to produce many compounds essential for the food, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Virtually all hydrogen gas is currently produced from coal and natural gas (methane), and this alone accounts for 2.3% of global CO2 emissions. Hydrogen-rich underground deposits could provide an alternative carbon-free source.
SKA - Coal - in the same area