Humankind has been mining for resources, including precious metals, for centuries. But at some point we’ll simply run out. It’s estimated that we could deplete some of earth’s metallic resources in as little as 30 years. This is especially true for our more rare metals, some of which are used to construct high-tech devices that continue to grow in popularity. What happens if our planet runs out of certain resources? We’ll have to leave earth to find more.
The notion of mining asteroids for metals and other resources has grown in popularity over the years. Asteroids are closer to earth than other planets, plus there are millions of them floating around our solar system. Though many of them are in the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars, there are about 15,000 near-earth asteroids that are much more accessible to us. Many of these celestial rocks contain water and a variety of metals, such as nickel, iron, platinum (and other metals within the platinum group), and cobalt.
For years, asteroids have been useful to astronomers and scientists who study the makeup and origins of our universe. Technological advancement, however, has drawn us closer to a time when we will be able to harvest valuable resources from these celestial rocks. It is estimated that one asteroid of the right size and composition could be worth billions of dollars in raw materials.
Mining asteroids, unfortunately, is easier said than done. Because mining would be done without gravity, new spacecraft and mining technology needs to be developed. The precursor to space mining crafts is already in progress. NASA launched the OSIRIS-REx in September, which will travel to a near-earth asteroid called Bennu to collect and return a surface sample.
Two companies are currently working toward the long-term goal of asteroid mining. Planetary Resources, founded in 2010, and Deep Space Industries, founded in 2013, have both made strides in the industry. They hope to send survey probes to asteroids with the next decade to begin mapping their surfaces and collecting samples. Successful asteroid mining would not only mean additional metal resources, but also water ice that could be converted into drinking water, breathable air, and rocket fuel for use in a future space colony.
But the development and cost of all this tech isn’t the only thing standing in the way of space mining; there’s also a legal issue. Who will regulate a company that mines in outer space, and who will own the resources that result from the efforts? The Outer Space Treaty, signed in 1967, forbids any government from claiming the moon or any celestial body as its own. It says that nations are only to “use” outer space for the benefit of mankind. Yet, it says nothing explicitly about mining in space. There’s no doubt that any company or organization able to achieve the means to mine asteroids will have to clear some significant legal hurdles.
Since we’re not yet able to collect the platinum from asteroids, we can still stock up on the metal we have right here on earth. Add some to your investment portfolio with the 2017 American Platinum Eagle.
What do you think about mining asteroids and space exploration? It’s a pretty neat concept, but humankind has quite a journey to make it more feasible.
Leave a Reply