Mineral Processing and Metal Extraction on the Lunar Surface - Challenges and Opportunities

Shaw, Matthew; Humbert, Matthew S.; Brooks, Geoffrey; Rhamdhani, M. Akbar; Duffy, Alan R.; Pownceby, Mark I.

doi:10.1080/08827508.2021.1969390

Cited by 20 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 133 publications

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“…Metals and alloys are essential structural materials for construction given their compressive strength and good tensile properties and for other applications, such as energy carrier/storage (wires) [31] or equipment (e.g., excavation tools, molds, and rovers) [32]. Al, Ca, Fe, Ti, and Mg are the most abundant metals in the lunar regolith, which also contains smaller amounts of Ni, Cr, Mn, Zr, and V [5,20].…”

Section: Materials For Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Radiation Damage in Materials Relevant for Exploration and Settlement on the Moon

Koval¹,

Gu²,

Muñoz‐Santiburcio³

et al. 2022

Lunar Science - Habitat and Humans

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Understanding the effect of radiation on materials is fundamental for space exploration. Energetic charged particles impacting materials create electronic excitations, atomic displacements, and nuclear fragmentation. Monte Carlo particle transport simulations are the most common approach for modeling radiation damage in materials. However, radiation damage is a multiscale problem, both in time and in length, an aspect treated by the Monte Carlo simulations only to a limited extent. In this chapter, after introducing the Monte Carlo particle transport method, we present a multiscale approach to study different stages of radiation damage which allows for the synergy between the electronic and nuclear effects induced in materials. We focus on cumulative displacement effects induced by radiation below the regime of hadronic interactions. We then discuss selected studies of radiation damage in materials of importance and potential use for the exploration and settlement on the Moon, ranging from semiconductors to alloys and from polymers to the natural regolith. Additionally, we overview some of the novel materials with outstanding properties, such as low weight, increased radiation resistance, and self-healing capabilities with a potential to reduce mission costs and improve prospects for extended human exploration of extraterrestrial bodies.

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Section: Materials For Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Radiation Damage in Materials Relevant for Exploration and Settlement on the Moon

Koval¹,

Gu²,

Muñoz‐Santiburcio³

et al. 2022

Lunar Science - Habitat and Humans

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“…Consequently, the development of cost-e cient, low-temperature, simple and safe extraction/recovery processes that can be implemented in space is still desirable. Until now, comminution, bene ciation and metal production have all been developed and re ned over time with base assumptions that come inherently from the physical and chemical conditions found on Earth, and they cannot be directly implemented in space 35 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extraterrestrial mining – A novel method for extracting minerals and metals from asteroids

Rivera

Bird

Jenkin

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Extra-terrestrial mining is vital for access to strategic metals for space exploration and to feed an increasing terrestrial need for metals in sustainable energy generation and storage. This study demonstrates for the first time the catalytic dissolution of metals from meteorite proxies of metal-rich asteroids using a deep eutectic solvent (DES). DESs are of particular interest for extra-terrestrial mining as they can be designed to have relatively low vapour pressures and could potentially be made from waste products created in extra-terrestrial settlements. Three types of meteorites were investigated: 2 chondrites (H3, H5) and one iron (IAB-MG) meteorite. Chondrites samples were composed of silicates (olivine, pyroxene) with metallic phases occurring as native metal alloys and sulphides. Metallic Fe-Ni and troilite (FeS) are the most abundant metal-bearing phases in all three samples, particularly in the iron-rich meteorite. The samples were subjected to chemical micro-etching experiments with iodine and iron(III) chloride as oxidising agents in a DES formed from the mixture of choline chloride (ChCl) and ethylene glycol (EG). Micro-etching experiments demonstrated that Fe-Ni phases are effectively leached out in this system, while other mineral phases remain unreactive.

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“…Consequently, the development of cost-efficient, low-temperature, simple and safe extraction/recovery processes that can be implemented in space is still desirable. Until now, comminution, beneficiation and metal production have all been developed and refined over time with base assumptions that come inherently from the physical and chemical conditions found on Earth, and they cannot be directly implemented in space 35 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A novel method for extracting metals from asteroids using non-aqueous deep eutectic solvents

Rivera,

Bird,

Jenkin

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Extra-terrestrial mining and metal processing are vital for access to strategic metals for space exploration. This study demonstrates for the first time the catalytic dissolution of metals from meteorite proxies of metal-rich asteroids using a deep eutectic solvent (DES). DESs are of particular interest for extra-terrestrial mining as they can be designed to have relatively low vapour pressures and could potentially be made from organic waste products created in extra-terrestrial settlements. Three types of meteorites were investigated: two chondrites (H3, H5) and one iron (IAB-MG) meteorite. Chondrite samples were composed of silicates (olivine, pyroxene) with metal-rich phases occurring as native metal alloys, sulphides and oxides. Metallic Fe–Ni and troilite (FeS) are the most abundant metal-bearing phases in all three samples, particularly in the iron-rich meteorite. The samples were subjected to chemical micro-etching experiments with iodine and iron(III) chloride as oxidising agents in a DES formed from the mixture of choline chloride and ethylene glycol. Micro-etching experiments demonstrated that Fe–Ni rich phases are effectively leached out in this system, while other mineral phases remain unreactive.

show abstract

Mineral Processing and Metal Extraction on the Lunar Surface - Challenges and Opportunities

Cited by 20 publications

References 133 publications

Modeling Radiation Damage in Materials Relevant for Exploration and Settlement on the Moon

Modeling Radiation Damage in Materials Relevant for Exploration and Settlement on the Moon

Extraterrestrial mining – A novel method for extracting minerals and metals from asteroids

A novel method for extracting metals from asteroids using non-aqueous deep eutectic solvents

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