Helium is an endangered species!

These articles state within the decade we will have exhausted all Helium reserves on the planet!

www.scientificblogging.com...

www.innovations-report.com...

www.wired.com...

This is much bigger than party balloons!

He has many uses in science & technology. It is mainly used as a coolant, but there are others;

Helium plays a role in nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy, welding, fiber optics and computer microchip production, among other technological applications. NASA uses large amounts annually to pressurize space shuttle fuel tanks.

The articles state that it would be very hard to manufacture because it takes millenia to do so naturally.

The helium we have on Earth has been built up over billions of years from the decay of natural uranium and thorium. The decay of these elements proceeds at a super-snail's pace. For example, one of the most important isotopes for helium production is uranium-238. In the entire life span of the earth only half of the uranium-238 atoms have decayed (yielding eight helium atoms per uranium atom decay in the process) and an inconsequential fraction decay in about 1,000 years.

At present there is no synthetic replacement available;

"Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable. Its properties are unique and unlike hydrocarbon fuels (natural gas or oil), there are no biosynthetic ways to make an alternative to helium. All should make better efforts to recycle it."

2PacSade-

Surely you jest. Where can helium go, if not into space?

Helium is also produced in stars as a product of fusion, and the solar system is coated with the radioisotope HE3, which in addition to being an effective fusion power source, is also an active supply of helium from our sun.

I really cannot see the alarm here.

As someone who works in the compressed gas industry, I can assure you that Helium is in fact becoming increasingly difficult to get. Prices have skyrocketed over the last 9 months because supply is quickly shrinking. I have customers right now who have been waiting 2 months to receive a large tank of Helium.

Doesn't Saturn have some type of helium gas?

[edit on 20-2-2008 by kennethmd]

Originally posted by nyk537...I can assure you that Helium is in fact becoming increasingly difficult to get.

Then it is being used somewhere, a vast engineering project like an undersea city. There are just not that many balloons to create a shortage so quickly.

Time to put yer conspiracy antennas on fellas

I can't understand how there could possibly be a shortage, isn't helium an inert gas? AFAIK it reacts with nothing. I think the only way there could eb a shortage is either if its all staying up in the atmosphere (it is lighter than air after all), or if theres investors buying up large amounts to artificially inflate the price then sell their stocks gradually at the higher price. Another possibility is that there is a huge increase in demand somewhere, as suggested in an earlier post. Don't think theres underwater cities, but could be something. No idea what though.

Well, the shortage is due mainly to decreased production at the moment, not necessarily to the shrinking supply. Although, as mentioned in the OP's linked articles, the Federal Reserve of helium is expected to run out within the decade.

You also must realize that balloons and private uses for Helium constitute only about 8% of the total helium usage. The majority of our helium is used by NASA for shuttle launches. The rest of the majority of helium usage is for cooling MRI machines and laser welding.

reply to post by nyk537


Ah-ha, that NASA always gets my gourd.

Just another reason to look at alternatives.

FLAGGED AND STARRED! This is a very important topic! In fact, I would call it a pending crises.

Helium is one of the most precious elements on the planet. IMO, it is more precious than gold. It has so many special properties (outlined above, plus much more) that it should be treasured and preserved with as much care as we do precious metals.

Because Helium is inert, it cannot be derived from any chemical reaction. Once it has dispersed into our atmosphere it is virtually impossible to get it back.

Besides the USA, only six other countries have any significant helium reserves: Algeria, Canada, China, Qatar, Poland and Russia. We have the largest supply, and produce 80% of the helium used in the world. Many believe it is unlikely any new significant helium reserves will be discovered. Helium discoveries have peaked, along with discoveries of natural gas.

seekingalpha.com...

In 1995, the USA began selling off the "Federal Helium Reserve", which consisted of vast amounts of helium locked in geological formations within the Texas panhandle. Someone is making a lot of money off of this, at the expense of future generations.

www8.nationalacademies.org...

This is happening with little public attention and knowledge. We will all be affected. My prediction: this will be a very hot discussion of debate around 2010 (and by that time it will be too late to recover all that wasted Helium.) A select few will become very very rich from all of this.

reply to post by Buck Division


Well, what are we waitin' fer? Lets get on that horse and ride it!

I will send word to my colleagues.

Organize!

Originally posted by kennethmd
Doesn't Saturn have some type of helium gas?

[edit on 20-2-2008 by kennethmd]

I'm sure as Matyas has mentioned it has He-3, but what good would Helium located on Saturn do us now?

2PacSade-

Anyone who thinks that we explore space for the 'Man is so great' complex, your sadly mistaken.

A friend of mine works at a Canadian company that is developing the drilling rigs for missions to comets and other planets for the near future.

Interesting side note is that all the old theories that aliens travel solar system to solar sytem looking for minerals while starting of humanoid mining civilizations should keep it in your mind that space mining is waaayy more important that looking for other entities. No money in aliens.

Helium: Production
Praxair produces helium at its facilities in Bushton and Ulysses, KS.

Liquefaction Extraction
Crude helium is extracted from natural gas streams using low-temperature liquefaction. In this process:
» Crude helium (more than 50 percent helium combined with nitrogen and small amounts of other gases) is separated from the liquefied portion (primarily hydrocarbons).
» Hydrocarbons and other contaminants are then removed to produce gaseous or liquid helium using one of several processes, including pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and cryogenic system.

PRAXAI R

Anyone want to tackle how the Helium got into our Fossil Fuels?



As to getting it from the moon... or Saturn... never fear because NASA has that covered

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

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.

www.thelivingmoon.com...

Also I have a couple of comments from an 'inside source' that are ummm relevant to this topic...

Your comment on 'liquifying' minerals on the moon is 'right on time'. Our group, presently, is engaged in deep discussion as to modifying the minerals to be harvested, and liquifying (H3, for example) is/has been the subject of much heated discussion. Actually, I suggested (to our group) not so much 'liquifying' ...but 'changing the state' . If you look at some of my patents...you'll note that in these I teach 'change of state' (from liquid to a gas, for example) to accomplish some desired result: Entropy vs Enthalpy, for example. The discussions continue as of this writing, with all suggestions being considered by our group (and others) prior to making recommendations to those within and outside our group.

On the mining-thing. I can only state that in the broadest of senses mining operations have taken place on the lunar surface and are presently being conducted on Mars ...

Although the use of terminology, 'mining' has been downplayed (by NASA) and there exists an 'internal memo' ...

Use of terminology, e.g., 'mining', could be considered (by some countries) to constitute a violation of the International Space Treaty. Thus, NASA is real-careful about use of terminology that could be considered a breach of 'Policy and Protocol'. I can give you this stuff as it's 'public information'. You have to look between the spaces/lines for more info and draw your own conclusions.

Can I interest anyone in some plots of land up there?

Originally posted by zorgon
Also I have a couple of comments from an 'inside source' that are ummm relevant to this topic...

Your comment on 'liquifying' minerals on the moon is 'right on time'.

Can I interest anyone in some plots of land up there?

Do you really think we will one day have to get our Helium from the moon, or some other extratrerrestrial location, due to our incautious and sloppy practices here and now?

If so, that is going to be ridiculously expensive, and my earlier post is 100% true. Helium is fated to be one of the most precious elements on our planet. It will become worth much more than gold.

I sure hope there isn't some critical medical or other scientific breakthrough that requires Helium. If so, we may already be out-of-luck.

I’m not sure why I find this topic so fascinating and worrisome. I just want to throw out one more fact about Helium, with regard to its practical uses in aviation.

#

The largest man made object to ever fly was the LZ-129, a.k.a the “Hindenburg.” This airship was over 800 feet in length. It carried 50 passengers, and made many successful transatlantic trips before being destroyed in its famous and tragic fire, which brought an abrupt end to any further use or consideration of this technology.

The year was 1937. Seventy years has passed, and modern humanity has still never matched this achievement of flight. This particularly useful and amazing type of aviation is virtually dead.

en.wikipedia.org...

The Hindenburg was originally intended to be filled with helium, a gas which is lighter than air but which is not flammable. Most of the world's supply of helium comes from underground fields in the United States, but the United States had imposed a military embargo on helium against Germany.

Except for the above fact, airships might be common today, and inexpensive transatlantic aerial cruisers might be routine. Who knows what might have resulted, and the favorable impact to transportation, the economy, and our standard of living?

One thing is for certain. If we exhaust our supply of Helium (and it looks like this will occur sooner than later) there will never again be an era of airships seen on this planet. Hydrogen is too dangerous.

For cool and futuristic pictures of proposed airships, see the links below.

www.popularmechanics.com...
www.dynalifter.com...
www.aerosml.com...
www.aeroscraft.com...
www.worldskycat.com...

This of course is just one minor application of Helium, and is not the most important use of this element by any stretch. Still, it is a romantic picture of what humanity could achieve using innovation and cheap Helium. It hurts to see this possibility forever squandered away.

Edit: To add extra links to airship sites.

[edit on 25-2-2008 by Buck Division]

well if what john lear says is true maybe this will be a reason for us to use that helieum thats supposedly on the moon.

Originally posted by Buck Division
Do you really think we will one day have to get our Helium from the moon, or some other extratrerrestrial location, due to our incautious and sloppy practices here and now?

If its Helium 3... YES as it does not exist on Earth in great quantities, but is lying around on the Moon up to three meters deep.

If so, that is going to be ridiculously expensive, and my earlier post is 100% true. Helium is fated to be one of the most precious elements on our planet. It will become worth much more than gold.

You really must differentiate between Helium and Helium 3

Helium is used in cryogenics (super cooling) filling your party ballons (and Blimps)and making you talk like Donald Duck (deep see diving )

Helium 3 is used for FUSION reactors that have no toxic waste and require only cardboard thick shielding

25 tons of HE3 (One shuttle cargo bay capacity) is enough to power the entire USA for one year 100 tons will power the whole world for one year

Scientists estimate there are about 1 million metric tonnes of helium 3 on the moon, enough to power the world for thousands of years. The He3 is mainly imbedded in an ore called ilmenite.

(As a side note processing the ilmenite would release free oxygen in abundance and produce titanium)

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

Originally posted by zorgon

Originally posted by Buck Division
Do you really think we will one day have to get our Helium from the moon, or some other extratrerrestrial location, due to our incautious and sloppy practices here and now?

If its Helium 3... YES as it does not exist on Earth in great quantities, but is lying around on the Moon up to three meters deep.

Excellent post Zorgon. I was unclear about this Helium 3 stuff, and your explanation really helped me out.

Wikipedia Article on Helium 3... Pretty amazing substance!

Also, please don't get me wrong. Any excuse to promote space exploration and development is a good one. And this sounds like a very good one.

Edit: Added link.

[edit on 25-2-2008 by Buck Division]