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Post by Jairo on Feb 12, 2009 8:56:53 GMT -4
I know the Moon have minerals that will be useful for who is already living and building things there. But, besides Helium-3, is there any other thing that would worth bring back to be used here on Earth?
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Bob B.
Bob the Excel Guru?
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Post by Bob B. on Feb 12, 2009 9:14:28 GMT -4
I doubt it. I think the cost, at least in the short term, would be prohibitive.
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Post by echnaton on Feb 12, 2009 11:13:01 GMT -4
I imagine that the only feasible materials that could be mined on the moon would be something that was in found in large concentrations near the surface there and highly valuable in small quantities here. Whatever could be mined would have to save more energy by gathering it form the moon as compared to getting it on earth. Since the moon appears to be similar to earth in mineral content, it seems unlikely that mining will be economical as long as we are using rocket based propulsion.
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Jason
Pluto
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Post by Jason on Feb 12, 2009 12:31:15 GMT -4
I'm looking forward to the day when I can have my own private beach covered entirely in moon sand.
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Post by PhantomWolf on Feb 13, 2009 0:44:59 GMT -4
I'm looking forward to the day when I can have my own private beach covered entirely in moon sand. Well all you need to do is get a truckful of ordinary sand and then sift it and wash it until you have removed all the dust and you'll be set.  Of course I'd just be happy just being rich enough to afford a beach of moon sand.... |
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Jason
Pluto
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Post by Jason on Feb 13, 2009 12:02:35 GMT -4
Well all you need to do is get a truckful of ordinary sand and then sift it and wash it until you have removed all the dust and you'll be set. Wouldn't that mean that any beach already has moon sand, since it gets washed by the tide all the time?  |
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Post by Grand Lunar on Feb 13, 2009 12:30:24 GMT -4
Here's another idea Jason; put some Earth rocks in a radiation oven, then use a dustification ray to make moon dirt!  Back to moon mines, I figure that when an infrastructure is made on the moon, there ought to be some ores to obtain. Wouldn't there be iron in the craters that have been made by iron meteorites? And isn't there titanium there too? Of course, if there is plenty of helium-3 to be had, that alone ought to be worth it. |
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Jason
Pluto
May all your hits be crits
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Post by Jason on Feb 13, 2009 12:52:32 GMT -4
Here's another idea Jason; put some Earth rocks in a radiation oven, then use a dustification ray to make moon dirt! It's so crazy it just might work! |
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Post by echnaton on Feb 13, 2009 13:23:27 GMT -4
Back to moon mines, I figure that when an infrastructure is made on the moon, there ought to be some ores to obtain. Wouldn't there be iron in the craters that have been made by iron meteorites? And isn't there titanium there too?
There is iron laying all over the surface of the earth. The problem is economics. The stuff is just cheap already, there is no need to get any from the moon. Titanium is also abundant on earth. The real cost for that light weight backpacking gear is getting pure titanium. It is made in a process similar to making refining aluminum. The process has a high energy requirement making it expensive. If you need titanium dioxide for paint or to keep the sun from burning your nose, it is fairly inexpensive.
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Post by Grand Lunar on Feb 13, 2009 14:24:11 GMT -4
I thought that on the moon, the iron would be uncontaminated by oxygen and organisms.
And I also felt that it suppliment the Earth's supply. Same for titanium.
Of course, for mining purposes, a kilometer wide metallic asteroid would be perfect; billions of dollars in nearly pure metals waiting to be tapped, as well.
As I mentioned, if we finally achieve fusion, and if there is plenty of helium-3 to be had, that alone would be worth it.
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Jason
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Post by Jason on Feb 13, 2009 14:54:52 GMT -4
Something would have to be very expensive to recover on Earth (where we have a ready supply of laborers and air and transport is relatively easy) before it would be economically feasible to mine it somewhere else.
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Post by Apollo Gnomon on Feb 13, 2009 19:16:04 GMT -4
The most cost effective thing would be to mine metals on the moon to serve an existing market on the moon. What we need is to drop a bunch of customers on the moon, and then sell them the metal that they mine.
And then we wait for the colonists to rise up and throw off the oppressive over-taxing earth governments.
Realistically, the moon could be a provider of satellites for earth. Think about how big of a rocket it takes to launch from earth, and how small of a rocket it took to return 3 men and a big box of rocks from the moon.
Other than that, I can't think up an easy way for lunar materials to contribute to the earth economy in a positive manner.
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Bob B.
Bob the Excel Guru?
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Post by Bob B. on Feb 13, 2009 19:31:50 GMT -4
I thought that on the moon, the iron would be uncontaminated by oxygen and organisms. Even though iron isn't found here on Earth in its pure metallic form, it has got to be thousands of times cheaper to smelt the raw ore than to go out and bring it back from extraterrestrial sources. |
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Post by Data Cable on Feb 14, 2009 5:19:22 GMT -4
I'm looking forward to the day when I can have my own private beach covered entirely in moon sand. From what I've heard of the stuff, it'd be about as healthy to have a private beach covered entirely in asbestos. |
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Jason
Pluto
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Posts: 5,579
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Post by Jason on Feb 14, 2009 12:06:57 GMT -4
I'm looking forward to the day when I can have my own private beach covered entirely in moon sand. From what I've heard of the stuff, it'd be about as healthy to have a private beach covered entirely in asbestos. Oh, but it would be just to look at. My other private beach would be the one to sunbathe on. |
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