Lunar Resource Mining, Processing, and Refining

Harrison H. Schmitt
Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Albuquerque, NM

Production of lunar resources, particularly investor funded extraction of helium-3 fusion fuel, will require a permanent base of operations with a high degree of automation of various mining, processing, and refining activities. A broad foundation of technical and operational experience in space already exists. Relevant experience on Earth includes geographically isolated resource production and supplying remote settlements and stations. Use of this experience, with the appropriate perspectives on its applicability, will be beneficial to establishing cost effective production operations related to helium-3 and other resources.

Deviations from past experience in space will include the following:
(1) minimum cost and maximum reliability,
(2) protection from the dust and radiation,
(3) indefinite life for facilities and equipment,
(4) increased payload mass to the Moon to increase equipment reliability and decrease costs,
(5) efficient and highly reliable robotic and tele-robotic systems,
(6) imbedded diagnostics and reliable lifetime prediction of system components,
(7) minimal operational interaction with personnel on Earth,
(8) permanent settlement.

Principle deviations from terrestrial mining experience will be in the areas of:
(1) integration of human and robotic functions to minimize the number of workers while maximizing reliability of critical operations,
(2) minimum mass, highly reliable equipment that can operate continuously and indefinitely.

Many aspects of lunar operations will be similar to those encountered by terrestrial mining, particularly in the continuous preparation and processing of large ore tonnages, the separation of valuable by-products, flexibility for production expansion based on market demand, and the management of a remote "company" town. Maintaining quality corporate governance under these conditions will be a continuing challenge.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90078©2008 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas