Found a helium mine accumulated for 1.1 billion years in the US

The newly discovered helium mine in Minnesota has a record high helium concentration, reaching 13.8%, promising to help solve the shortage of this gas.

Resource exploration company Pulsar Helium announced the discovery of a giant helium deposit at the end of February, after a drilling trip near Babbitt, northern Minnesota, USA, to a depth of 670 m. Initial measurements showed high helium concentrations, reaching 12.4% . However, the new analysis results even surpass this number, Live Science reported on April 3.

Wellhead of Pulsar Helium in Minnesota, USA. (Photo: Thomas Abraham-James).

New analysis shows helium concentrations at the Minnesota mine are up to 13.8%, the highest level ever recorded in the industry. "That's an incredibly large number, because really just 0.3%, 0.5% helium or higher would be of concern ," said Thomas Abraham-James, president and CEO of Pulsar Helium. .

Although it is the second most abundant gas in the universe, helium is scarce on Earth and is only formed through nuclear fusion or the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium.

Typically, helium is collected as a byproduct of natural gas production, as helium accumulates underground in cavities of methane and other hydrocarbons (methane is a type of hydrocarbon). Minnesota is one of the few places in the world where helium exists without hydrocarbons. Some other locations are Greenland, southern and eastern Africa. All of these places have a granite crust rich in uranium and thorium, as well as a rift system that cracks the rock and exposes helium (this helium is produced through radioactive decay). Volcanic activity then releases helium atoms from the rock.

"The final necessary ingredient is a place to keep it all, perhaps a sedimentary basin, or a body of magmatic rock like in our project. That place has been around for 1.1 billion years." accumulate, which may explain why concentrations are so high," Abraham-James said.

Liquid helium is vital today, as a coolant in nuclear reactors, rockets, superconductors and medical diagnostic equipment, but due to limited supplies, some sectors are facing serious shortage.

Helium is notoriously difficult to store and depending on the container, it will begin to decay between 25 - 45 days after being extracted. Most of the world's helium mixes with hydrocarbons and escapes from the ground in an uncontrolled way, Abraham-James said, after which the countdown begins to get the helium to customers. However, the Minnesota mine can supply helium almost immediately at the ready.

Experts are reviewing data collected at the site to determine its size and characteristics. They need further measurements to estimate the pressure at which the gas is stored and the expected flow rate after release from that pressure. According to Abraham-Jones, results are expected by mid-year, helping to determine whether the Minnesota mine is suitable for commercial production.