[ExI] A possible X Prize

[Eugen Leitl]

On Thu, May 26, 2011 at 03:31:36PM -0600, Kelly Anderson wrote:

> > http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/5239
> 
> I don't get the relevance of the link, but I believe you so I did some research.

The link mentions cobalt once, but it illustrates the problem
of dilution and ore grade.
 
> So according to Wikipedia, Cobalt consists of 0.0029% of the Earth's
> crust. Compare to Nickel at 0.019%. Still pretty common compared to
> Gold.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Elemental_abundances.svg

Elemental abundancies in the crust are completely irrelevant,
as nobody mines the crust itself but ores, which enrichen
the desired element or mineral. E.g. that's a problem with
uranium, which is lithophilic and doesn't like to form rich
ores like pitchblende. This results in something like
http://www.theoildrum.com/files/Uranium_Production_In_France.png
(leaving unremediated mines with 10-20x natural background
behind to add insult to injury).
 
> So I suppose it would be fair then to say that given it's very useful
> nature, there isn't enough of it. And somewhere around half of the
> Cobalt mined in the world comes from the Congo. That sucks.

Another Congo biggie is coltan (columbite-tantalite, ore for 
niobium and tantalum). Generic term, blood minerals.
 
> >> synthesis of artificial Cattierite suitable for use in electronics be
> >> a good candidate for an X-Prize type competition?
> >
> > It's not the mineral, it's the element. Apart from enrichment
> > from dilute sources your only other option is transmutation.
> 
> I guess there's always asteroid mining... :-)

There's the problem of delta v. In principle you could mine
some rarer minerals on the moon (e.g. titanium and other metals
via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFC_Cambridge_process ),
launch them via linear motors, using minimal rocket burn and
aerobraking (ceramics sheath, foam airfoil) with controlled 
descent to point of delivery.

In principle the costs would be low if the system is largely
self-maintaining, and also transcending our local limits by
tapping extraterrestrial resources (minerals, solar flux, 
UHV) plus outsourcing "dirty" industries out of the local
ecosystem.

-- 
Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
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