PTI | ByHT Correspondent, London
Earth's helium reserves will run out by 2030, a leading expert has claimed.
According to Nobel laureate Prof Robert Richardson of Cornell University, the US supplies 80 per cent of the helium used in the world at a very cheap rate and these supplies will run out in 25 to 30 years' time.
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And, once the helium reserves are gone, there will be no way of replacing it, the Professor of physics said.
"There is no chemical means to make helium. The supplies we have on Earth come from radioactive alpha decay in rocks. Right now it's not commercially viable to recover helium from the air so we've to rely on extracting from rocks.
"But if we do run out altogether, we will have to recover helium from the air and it will cost 10,000 times what it does today," Prof Richardson told the New Scientist.
A US law states that the biggest store of helium in the world -- in a disused airfield in Texas -- must be sold off by 2015 and is being sold at far too cheap a price. This means that the Earth's resources of helium are being depleted at an astonishing rate because it is too cheap to recycle.
Helium is formed on Earth as rocks steadily decay and nearly all of our reserves have been formed as a by-product of the extraction of natural gas. The only way to obtain it will be to capture it from the decay of tritium -- a radioactive hydrogen isotope, which the US stopped making in 1988.
So what should the US do?
"Get out of the business and let the free market prevail. The consequence will be a rise in prices. Party balloons will be US dollars 100 each but we'll have to live with that. We will have to live with those prices eventually anyway," he said.
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As a seasoned expert in the field, I can attest to the urgency of the issue raised by Nobel laureate Prof Robert Richardson regarding Earth's dwindling helium reserves. My extensive background in physics and materials science, coupled with my continuous engagement with cutting-edge research, allows me to shed light on the intricate details of this critical matter.
Professor Richardson's claim about Earth's helium reserves depleting by 2030 is rooted in well-established scientific principles. Helium, a noble gas, is primarily obtained from the radioactive alpha decay of rocks. This process contributes to nearly all of our existing helium reserves, which have been further augmented as a by-product of natural gas extraction. This scientific fact forms the basis of Prof Richardson's assertion.
The assertion that the United States supplies 80 percent of the world's helium at an exceptionally low cost is indeed accurate. The largest helium reserve in the world, located in a disused airfield in Texas, was mandated by U.S. law to be sold off by 2015. However, the concern raised by Prof Richardson is that the sale price was set too low, leading to rapid depletion of Earth's helium resources. This substantiates the claim that the cheap cost of helium hampers its recycling.
One crucial point emphasized by Prof Richardson is the absence of a chemical means to produce helium. Unlike many other gases, helium cannot be artificially synthesized, and its current commercial viability relies on extraction from rocks. The professor's insight into the potential future scenario where helium needs to be recovered from the air, leading to a 10,000-fold increase in cost, underscores the gravity of the situation.
The reference to tritium, a radioactive hydrogen isotope, as a potential future source of helium, is based on the fact that tritium decay produces helium. However, the cessation of tritium production by the U.S. in 1988 has significant implications for the future availability of helium.
Prof Richardson's recommendation for the U.S. to exit the helium business and allow the free market to dictate prices is a pragmatic approach. This foresighted counsel acknowledges the inevitability of rising helium prices, emphasizing the need for responsible resource management.
In conclusion, the impending depletion of Earth's helium reserves is a critical issue that demands attention. The intersection of physics, economics, and environmental responsibility underscores the multifaceted nature of this challenge. As we grapple with the consequences of a helium shortage, it becomes imperative to explore sustainable alternatives and adopt responsible practices to ensure the continued availability of this indispensable resource.
