Scientists led by Rodolfo Rivera at the University of Leicester have developed a new method for extracting metals from asteroids, a process that could drastically change the future of space mining and exploration. The study was recently published in Scientific Reports and focuses on the use of deep eutectic solvents (DES) to dissolve metals from meteorites that act as proxies for metal-rich asteroids. This is a big deal because it opens up new possibilities for using resources found in space for human settlements and other missions.
The team studied three types of meteorites: two chondrites and one iron meteorite. Chondrites are known for their silicate composition but also contain valuable metals like iron-nickel and iron sulfide. To extract these metals, the scientists used a DES made from mixing choline chloride and ethylene glycol. The medium created by this mixture allowed them to conduct experiments involving chemical micro-etching, where oxidizing agents like iodine and iron(III) chloride were used to leach out the metal-rich phases from the meteorite samples.
What’s good about DES is that they can be engineered to have low vapor pressures and could even be made from organic waste products in space settlements, making them ideal for space missions. The team’s experiments were successful in effectively extracting iron and nickel phases from the meteorite samples, providing a blueprint for future space mining.
This research is particularly exciting because asteroids, especially near-Earth ones, contain metals like platinum, iron, nickel, and cobalt in much greater quantities than what’s available on Earth. The asteroid signatures studied are similar to those found on asteroid 16 Psyche, which is made up of up to 60% iron and nickel and is already a target for a NASA probe.
So, to sum it up: this new method could make mining asteroids for valuable metals much more efficient and practical, which has huge implications for the future of space exploration and settlement.
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