Helium: South Africa strikes new 'gold'(phys.org)
phys.org
Helium: South Africa strikes new 'gold'
https://phys.org/news/2021-10-helium-south-africa-gold.html
116 comments
Makes me wonder why it is so difficult to create an airtight package for the mems device, even considering that helium is small.
Also, what happens to an iPhone if you bring it near an ultrasound source with a carefully chosen frequency?
Also, what happens to an iPhone if you bring it near an ultrasound source with a carefully chosen frequency?
It’s difficult with helium because the atom is so small that it can effectively penetrate the gaps in the atomic structure of almost any solid material given time. Even solid iridium can have small amounts of helium leach through.
Re ultrasonics - for some MEMS devices yes this can absolutely break things, but because the devices are so small, the resonant frequencies can often be in the hundreds of KHz or even MHz and most ultrasound transducers only produce sub 100khz frequencies
Re ultrasonics - for some MEMS devices yes this can absolutely break things, but because the devices are so small, the resonant frequencies can often be in the hundreds of KHz or even MHz and most ultrasound transducers only produce sub 100khz frequencies
Interesting.
Since this is hacker news, I'm hoping someone could try the ultrasound part.
Since this is hacker news, I'm hoping someone could try the ultrasound part.
I've been keenly observing this company as an investment oppurtunity:
https://royalheliumltd.com/projects/saskatchewan-helium-play...
https://royalheliumltd.com/projects/saskatchewan-helium-play...
Interesting! If you don't mind me asking, what is your thought process for investing in foreign companies (assuming you don't live in Africa)? Besides the S&P 500, I have always felt a little uncomfortable investing in any company that's not within a 60 (-ish) minute drive. I feel too divorced from reality and the physical process of buying and selling goods when they're far away.
I guess first off does that 60 minute drive mean driving to their headquarters or just a storefront?
But if you mean any kind of presence/impact than even companies quite far away can be found. You can find products made by companies across the globe literally in the device you are using right now. In my opinion that means a lot more than having a storefront by chance near by.
But if you mean any kind of presence/impact than even companies quite far away can be found. You can find products made by companies across the globe literally in the device you are using right now. In my opinion that means a lot more than having a storefront by chance near by.
It's run by CPAs, not PGeos.. something to note. Very generally speaking, having a company run by technical professionals is better than having a company run by financial professionals.
Still, an interesting find, worth looking into.
Still, an interesting find, worth looking into.
I've heard this a lot recently in regard to Intel's latest CEO coming from an engineering background. I can intuit it, but is there something to back up this claim?
I think a tech leader will have an easier time getting the money and business strategy advice (and taking it) better than a business type will be getting tech advice and using it well.
Business types don’t know what tech pieces to value and have a tendency to squeeze the resources out of the wrong places. It can work for some businesses better than others.
Business types don’t know what tech pieces to value and have a tendency to squeeze the resources out of the wrong places. It can work for some businesses better than others.
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"Renergen estimates its helium reserve could be as much as 9.74 billion cubic meters—larger than the known reserves in the entire United States.
That's enough to fill about 1.4 trillion party balloons."
I love it when articles have random units of measurements like that!
I love it when articles have random units of measurements like that!
I'd like to point out that helium is used in science for many applications. For example, the superconducting magnets in MRI machines are cooled by helium. Since it is not renewable and escapes from the atmosphere easily, we should conserve it, and probably not use it for party balloons.
I was curious about this so given some numbers I found on the internet, an average MRI machine has about 1700 liters of liquid helium capacity and loses 48% of its helium over the course of a year.
1 liter of liquid helium expands to .74m^3 of gaseous helium at room temperature. A 16" party balloon has .042 m^3 of space, so requires .05 liters of liquid helium.
So one MRI machine can hold ~30,000 balloons worth of helium and leaks about 39 balloons per day.
Note: This is not to suggest helium that is used for balloons is being redirected from MRI machines. As the article states, helium is captured almost exclusively as a byproduct of natural gas mining and any excess helium not worth capturing is just vented off. Reducing demand for helium by eliminating party balloons would have no affect on the amount of helium that is released from the ground.
1 liter of liquid helium expands to .74m^3 of gaseous helium at room temperature. A 16" party balloon has .042 m^3 of space, so requires .05 liters of liquid helium.
So one MRI machine can hold ~30,000 balloons worth of helium and leaks about 39 balloons per day.
Note: This is not to suggest helium that is used for balloons is being redirected from MRI machines. As the article states, helium is captured almost exclusively as a byproduct of natural gas mining and any excess helium not worth capturing is just vented off. Reducing demand for helium by eliminating party balloons would have no affect on the amount of helium that is released from the ground.
Well, sorta. If the helium is worth a lot, you’ll try to drill/pump the wells that have a lot of it.
If/when it’s not, you might slow down on the helium-rich gas fields and bulk up on the 100% hydrocarbon fields, especially if natural gas is selling for a lot.
If/when it’s not, you might slow down on the helium-rich gas fields and bulk up on the 100% hydrocarbon fields, especially if natural gas is selling for a lot.
Helium is semi renewable. More is constantly created by underground decay of radioactive isotopes. But we're probably using it up faster.
Regardless of helium supplies, party balloons are problematic because they tend to escape and contaminate the environment with rubber and plastic. I frequently see empty mylar balloons floating in the ocean.
Regardless of helium supplies, party balloons are problematic because they tend to escape and contaminate the environment with rubber and plastic. I frequently see empty mylar balloons floating in the ocean.
Oil and Helium are both replaced on geologic timescales their effectively a constant in terms of human lifespans.
You can estimate decay rates from net heat generated by the earth, but only a tiny fraction of the helium produced is close enough to the surface to be captured by us. On top of this helium is really good at escaping confinement so you need very specific geological formations to end up with significant quantities.
You can estimate decay rates from net heat generated by the earth, but only a tiny fraction of the helium produced is close enough to the surface to be captured by us. On top of this helium is really good at escaping confinement so you need very specific geological formations to end up with significant quantities.
And they arc out power lines and cause forest fires..
I wonder if that's going to continue to be the case with MRI machines? Some newer high-temperature superconductors (for instance ReBCO tape) don't need to be kept quite that cold. Eventually I'd expect machines based on newer materials to replace the old machines, unless there's some compelling reason why the helium-cooled machines are fundamentally better.
(I do agree we should conserve it rather than use it for frivolous purposes.)
(I do agree we should conserve it rather than use it for frivolous purposes.)
I suspect the real value proposition from that MIT fusion spinoff is not fusion reactors, but high Tc superconducting magnets for non-fusion applications like MRI (or, perhaps, hybrid electric aircraft). These could be cooled with neon instead of helium, and neon is available forever as a byproduct of air separation plants.
Most definitely.
Interestingly enough, Google told me there are only 14 gasses that are lighter than air. They are:
* acetylene
* ammonia
* carbon monoxide
* diborane
* ethylene
* helium
* hydrogen
* hydrogen cyanide
* hydrogen fluoride
* methane
* methyl lithium
* neon
* nitrogen
* water vapor
Wiki lists most of them at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifting_gas , although it leaves out ethylene, methyl lithium, and diborane for some reason. It also doesn't explicitly list carbon monoxide, but talks about it under "coal gas."
Of those, only hydrogen and helium are even vaguely suitable for party balloons, due primarily to their nasty chemical properties and/or expense.
Interestingly enough, Google told me there are only 14 gasses that are lighter than air. They are:
* acetylene
* ammonia
* carbon monoxide
* diborane
* ethylene
* helium
* hydrogen
* hydrogen cyanide
* hydrogen fluoride
* methane
* methyl lithium
* neon
* nitrogen
* water vapor
Wiki lists most of them at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifting_gas , although it leaves out ethylene, methyl lithium, and diborane for some reason. It also doesn't explicitly list carbon monoxide, but talks about it under "coal gas."
Of those, only hydrogen and helium are even vaguely suitable for party balloons, due primarily to their nasty chemical properties and/or expense.
I used hydrogen cyanide for the balloons at my birthday party, and I didn't hear anyone complaining afterwards.
Bear in mind that it boils/condenses at about 26C, so it's only suitable for parties with lots of dancing or warm summer nights.
Bear in mind that it boils/condenses at about 26C, so it's only suitable for parties with lots of dancing or warm summer nights.
> I used hydrogen cyanide for the balloons at my birthday party, and I didn't hear anyone complaining afterwards
Wow, that got dark quickly.
Wow, that got dark quickly.
I like a similar joke that goes:
Give a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
Less similar, but another classic of dark humor, is the poster of Stalin captioned:
Dark humor is like food.
Not everyone gets it.
Give a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
Less similar, but another classic of dark humor, is the poster of Stalin captioned:
Dark humor is like food.
Not everyone gets it.
Way darker than my acetylene joke, that’s for sure
The third sentence of the article: "Only certain lighter than air gases are suitable as lifting gases."
Diborane, among other things, autoignites in an oxygen atmosphere at 38C, and also burns on contact with water. It manages a rare NFPA fire diamond of 4 4 3.
It is tough to be a less practical lifting gas than hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen fluoride, but I think diborane manages it.
>Because of the exothermicity of its reaction with oxygen, diborane has been tested as a rocket propellant.[32] ... Diborane is pyrophoric gas. Commercially available adducts are typically used instead ... The toxic effects of diborane are mitigated because the compound is so unstable in air. The toxicity toward laboratory rats has been investigated.[38]
Diborane, among other things, autoignites in an oxygen atmosphere at 38C, and also burns on contact with water. It manages a rare NFPA fire diamond of 4 4 3.
It is tough to be a less practical lifting gas than hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen fluoride, but I think diborane manages it.
>Because of the exothermicity of its reaction with oxygen, diborane has been tested as a rocket propellant.[32] ... Diborane is pyrophoric gas. Commercially available adducts are typically used instead ... The toxic effects of diborane are mitigated because the compound is so unstable in air. The toxicity toward laboratory rats has been investigated.[38]
This seems like a great candidate for Derek Lowe’s “Things I Will Not Work Worh” column.
Note that hydrogen fluoride was the first thing featured on that column, even before the name of the series settled down: https://archive.md/gX3xF
> HF has actually been used right out of the cylinder for a long time in Merrifield peptide synthesizers. It’s the traditional way to cleave the peptide off the resin at the final step, so there are actually a lot of people who’ve used the stuff. But it’s in a dedicated apparatus that is (that had better be) well sealed, and people treat it with due respect. At a former employer of mine, there was an accident with one of these machines right before I joined the company. The shout “HF LEAK!” went out into the halls, and I’m told that the whole area set a never-to-be-equaled evacuation record.
By the fire diamond metric, HF is relatively tame, at 4 0 1, except that anything with a health rating of 4 ("very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury") is unsuitable for most purposes. So you can't set it on fire. Doesn't matter.
> HF has actually been used right out of the cylinder for a long time in Merrifield peptide synthesizers. It’s the traditional way to cleave the peptide off the resin at the final step, so there are actually a lot of people who’ve used the stuff. But it’s in a dedicated apparatus that is (that had better be) well sealed, and people treat it with due respect. At a former employer of mine, there was an accident with one of these machines right before I joined the company. The shout “HF LEAK!” went out into the halls, and I’m told that the whole area set a never-to-be-equaled evacuation record.
By the fire diamond metric, HF is relatively tame, at 4 0 1, except that anything with a health rating of 4 ("very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury") is unsuitable for most purposes. So you can't set it on fire. Doesn't matter.
Thanks for that link, I really do enjoy his writing. "Relatively tame" isn't something I expect to see with a health rating of 4, but I suppose it's an accurate statement when you're talking 4x3 ratings.
> Of those, only hydrogen and helium are even vaguely suitable for party balloons, due primarily to their nasty chemical properties and/or expense.
Filling your party balloons with hydrogen is one way to make sure your party goes off with a bang!
Filling your party balloons with hydrogen is one way to make sure your party goes off with a bang!
I wonder if it's really that risky to use hydrogen for party balloons that will be outdoors. Weather balloons and other un-manned lifting platforms already use it.
https://www.fp2fire.com/hydrogen-balloon-inflation/
https://www.fp2fire.com/hydrogen-balloon-inflation/
Manned hydrogen ballooning is definitely still a thing.
Well, balloons filled with pure hydrogen tend to go poof, but fill them with a stoichiometric mixture of hydrogen and oxygen (like the output of a water electrolysis cell) and the have a pretty powerful explosion.
Methane, nitrogen, and neon wouldn't be too bad from a toxicity perspective, though neon would be expensive, and nitrogen isn't all that great in terms of density.
While methane is a greenhouse gas, as the article mentions, the amount used for balloons under any realistic scenario is going to be dwarfed by the megatons of methane that enter the atmosphere from natural processes (and, of course, natural gas is mostly methane). It's also dirt-cheap.
While methane is a greenhouse gas, as the article mentions, the amount used for balloons under any realistic scenario is going to be dwarfed by the megatons of methane that enter the atmosphere from natural processes (and, of course, natural gas is mostly methane). It's also dirt-cheap.
Methane balloons would probably be a pretty significant fire / explosion risk, no?
Yep, it's definitely flammable.
I think it's probably easier to avoid dangerous leaks than with hydrogen, though. Hydrogen molecules are small and sneaky.
I think it's probably easier to avoid dangerous leaks than with hydrogen, though. Hydrogen molecules are small and sneaky.
Parties are more fun with hydrogen, in any case.
... or a stoichiometric mixture of hydrogen+oxygen: https://youtu.be/l9CI6KSV560?t=1625
... or a stoichiometric mixture of hydrogen+oxygen: https://youtu.be/l9CI6KSV560?t=1625
While I completely agree that waste is inexcusable and helium is really important there are many grades of helium and they are basically all industrial biproducts. The stuff at parties is mostly air and unsuitable for most scientific applications (checking leaks with a mass spec in a vacuum system is one of the few).
Even the high grade welding/scientific stuff is little more than a biproduct of natural gas extraction. The value of helium recovered from a well is essentially nil compared to the natural gas, so it’s conservation is not really possible since there is no real market force regulating supply (we would basically need to restrict natural gas consumption to nil, which is a good idea long term but not really feasible for civilization at the current stage.
[deleted]
It seems to me that the market would eventually correct this. If it cost $100 to fill a party balloon with helium, people would stop filling party balloons with helium and people working in scientific applications would have plenty of helium at that price point.
Not really random given most people interact with helium in the form of a balloon, however I would say that no one on Earth could comprehend 1.4 trillion balloons.
The song '99 Luftballoons' / '99 Red Balloons' was released 38 years ago, and sold 2,866,500 certified copies. If everyone who bought a copy listened to it twice a week since it came out, and released 99 balloons every time they did, they would have released 1.1 trillion ballons.
Sorry to burst your balloon, but there isn't enough rubber.
How much rubber is there?
It's hard to quantify, because the market is so elastic.
Even saying that is a stretch
That's 1.4 x 10^12. So, it's a cube of balloons a bit over 10,000 balloons on a side. If the balloons are 1' cubes, then the whole assembly is about two miles on a side.
Quite a party.
Quite a party.
Are they big or small party balloons?
Assuming medium size, then, @giarc:
> I would say that no one on Earth could comprehend 1.4 trillion balloons
Consider this: If everyone on the planet got 1 party balloon every month, we'd deplete that helium source in about 10 years.
> I would say that no one on Earth could comprehend 1.4 trillion balloons
Consider this: If everyone on the planet got 1 party balloon every month, we'd deplete that helium source in about 10 years.
>I love it when articles have random units of measurements like that!
There's a uniquely British phenomenon where large areas are given in terms of Wales. I think it's probably down to our national inability to decide if we're metric or imperial.
There's a uniquely British phenomenon where large areas are given in terms of Wales. I think it's probably down to our national inability to decide if we're metric or imperial.
Doesn't every country have it's own "weird unit of area"? :-)
In completely metric Germany, we often use "Saarlands", which is also, like Wales, the smallest country / state.
1 Wales = 8 Saarlands
In completely metric Germany, we often use "Saarlands", which is also, like Wales, the smallest country / state.
1 Wales = 8 Saarlands
For water volume here in Australia we use Sydney harbour units
For your convenience: https://www.theregister.com/Design/page/reg-standards-conver...
More info: https://www.theregister.com/2007/08/24/vulture_central_stand...
More info: https://www.theregister.com/2007/08/24/vulture_central_stand...
Or enough to do about 1.6 trillion chipmunk impressions!
"I love it when articles have random units of measurements like that!"
There's a right way and a wrong way to deal with quantities. This is a right way:
https://www.theregister.com/Design/page/reg-standards-conver...
There's a right way and a wrong way to deal with quantities. This is a right way:
https://www.theregister.com/Design/page/reg-standards-conver...
That's enough balloons to have another Cleveland balloon disaster!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0CT8zrw6lw
> I love it when articles have random units of measurements like that!
That's not really a random unit of measurement. It's the only use of helium the audience can be expected to be familiar with.
That's not really a random unit of measurement. It's the only use of helium the audience can be expected to be familiar with.
I wonder how many hard drives is that
I'm real curious in the details behind their $1 purchase of this asset that turned out to be worth billions. Smells shady to me.
Yeah this doesn't make sense to me either. If you assume the gas rights for all the land on the earth is priced that low (it isn't) you could buy all it for $1mm.
Also, I can't imagine the seller would be like "hmm, this guy wants to buy gas rights on 87,000 hectares of land for $1. Sounds like a good deal!" without thinking maybe there was something special and investigated for themselves first.
Also, I can't imagine the seller would be like "hmm, this guy wants to buy gas rights on 87,000 hectares of land for $1. Sounds like a good deal!" without thinking maybe there was something special and investigated for themselves first.
Land is cheap in that part of South Africa, but certainly not that cheap. For reference, [1] is 231ha of almost undeveloped land listed for about $100000.
I suspect it is tax evasion or a nepotism deal.
[1] https://www.property24.com/for-sale/bloemfontein-rural/bloem...
I suspect it is tax evasion or a nepotism deal.
[1] https://www.property24.com/for-sale/bloemfontein-rural/bloem...
They own the land but not actually the minerals or gas - they still have to get a permit from the government to to extract.
> They own the land but not actually the minerals or gas - they still have to get a permit from the government to to extract.
Other way around.
They bought gas rights - specifically they were interested in natural gas, but evidently the rights extend to any gas (I suppose there's an 'at room temperature' caveat in there, or this kind of right may set up some unexpected and highly unpleasant incentives).
It sounds like this was a highly speculative purchase, on land not considered hugely viable for extracting natural gas. There is, after all, the non-trivial problems & expenses around actually extracting, processing, shipping, and selling the gas(es).
Other way around.
They bought gas rights - specifically they were interested in natural gas, but evidently the rights extend to any gas (I suppose there's an 'at room temperature' caveat in there, or this kind of right may set up some unexpected and highly unpleasant incentives).
It sounds like this was a highly speculative purchase, on land not considered hugely viable for extracting natural gas. There is, after all, the non-trivial problems & expenses around actually extracting, processing, shipping, and selling the gas(es).
This is good news for scuba divers. Helium prices have increased by a factor of 10×.
It's used in welding too sometimes, though argon and CO2 are used more. I think helium is recommended for TIG welding copper if you don't have a really high-powered rig since it allows for better heat transfer, but I've managed it with argon.
Tbh scuba diving is kind of a waste of helium, and I'd rather they not use a nonrenewable resource for recreation.
"Waste" is in the eye of the beholder. We also use a lot of nonrenewable fossil fuels and plastics for all types of recreation. Should that all be prohibited?
Most refined helium is a byproduct of natural gas production. If we don't use the helium then natural gas drillers will just vent it into the atmosphere.
Most refined helium is a byproduct of natural gas production. If we don't use the helium then natural gas drillers will just vent it into the atmosphere.
Nonrenewable fossil fuels are a waste of energy and pollute, but there are both natural and artificial means to undo the damage, sequester the carbon, or produce gas out of biofuels etc.
When you use helium, it literally floats to the top of the atmosphere and escapes into space. It's never, ever coming back. It's a totally different class of "nonrenewable".
When you use helium, it literally floats to the top of the atmosphere and escapes into space. It's never, ever coming back. It's a totally different class of "nonrenewable".
If we don't use the helium then natural gas producers just vent it into the atmosphere anyway. Helium is somewhat renewable because more is constantly created by underground decay of radiative isotopes.
One could likely produce helium, if really needed, in net negative hydrogen fusion devices, at very high energy cost.
I was under the impression helium mixtures are only used for deeper dives, and thus seen more often in occupational diving rather then recreational.
Yes we only use helium deeper than about 100 ft (30 m). Commercial divers probably use more than sport divers but I haven't seen any real data on that.
Are many rec divers using trimix?
They take pictures of the mysteries below our dark waters. These photos convince the masses that maybe the earth is worth saving (by being more environmentally conscious).
I am not sure how precious helium is. The fact we put it in party balloons would hint at helium being relatively cheap (though those party balloons are typically 10$ each in France).
On the other hand, I understand that it is a significant cost driver for industry.
On the other hand, I understand that it is a significant cost driver for industry.
The US maintained a strategic helium reserve for decades (originally for airships). Then people started producing helium as a by-product of natural gas drilling, and the government bought helium from private natural gas producers. The helium reserve became less important, and larger, and deeper in debt.
In the 90s, Congress ordered that the strategic helium reserve sell off most of its helium. That tanked the price, which meant it was affordable for party balloons. It also hurt the business of natural gas producers also producing helium.
But helium can also leak irrecoverably out the atmosphere. We should try to hold on to some of it.
In the 90s, Congress ordered that the strategic helium reserve sell off most of its helium. That tanked the price, which meant it was affordable for party balloons. It also hurt the business of natural gas producers also producing helium.
But helium can also leak irrecoverably out the atmosphere. We should try to hold on to some of it.
> helium can also leak irrecoverably out the atmosphere.
Won't all atmospheric helium be lost to space? See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_escape#/media/File... Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are the only planets that can retain helium, AFAIU.
Won't all atmospheric helium be lost to space? See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_escape#/media/File... Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are the only planets that can retain helium, AFAIU.
It's much cheaper than it should be if we're considering hard limits on available supply and lack of interchangability of other resources. Honestly it shouldn't be cheap or expensive, in a perfect world it would be regulated, but here we are.
It's so cheap that it's commonly used as a welding cover gas as a way to reduce electricity cost and to squeeze more work out of cheaper, lower power equipment. Recycling in the form of capture of storage boil-off, or even collection/retention of helium that can be safely vented from legacy equipment costs substantially more than just throwing it away forever.
But it's useful in ways that nothing else is. MRI is the biggest example, and the largest consumer of helium. There's a whole niche of magnetics that needs helium until science comes up with better magnetics, if that's possible.
Something that doesn't get a lot of detailed attention is leak detection, because there's nothing else that leaks nearly as well (hydrogen molecules are larger than helium atoms!), not to mention safely, as helium. A leaking vacuum jacket means substantial loss of insulation and increased boil-off. Leaking storage of gases is always dangerous - either it's flammable, or poisonous, or an asphyxiant because it's not oxygen, or it is oxygen and everything else is on fire. The process of using helium used for leak detection involves introducing helium into a vessel and looking for helium on the other side. The leak detector itself is a portable mass spectrometer. Leak detection and repair is an extremely rare skill set at any meaningful level of quality, depends on extremely specialized equipment, and it's as expensive as it sounds. If there was a better option, this leak detection niche for helium would be an academic novelty.
Anyway, if this helium source is what it claims to be, it's significant - about 60 years of current production.
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nmic/helium-statistics-and-info...
It's so cheap that it's commonly used as a welding cover gas as a way to reduce electricity cost and to squeeze more work out of cheaper, lower power equipment. Recycling in the form of capture of storage boil-off, or even collection/retention of helium that can be safely vented from legacy equipment costs substantially more than just throwing it away forever.
But it's useful in ways that nothing else is. MRI is the biggest example, and the largest consumer of helium. There's a whole niche of magnetics that needs helium until science comes up with better magnetics, if that's possible.
Something that doesn't get a lot of detailed attention is leak detection, because there's nothing else that leaks nearly as well (hydrogen molecules are larger than helium atoms!), not to mention safely, as helium. A leaking vacuum jacket means substantial loss of insulation and increased boil-off. Leaking storage of gases is always dangerous - either it's flammable, or poisonous, or an asphyxiant because it's not oxygen, or it is oxygen and everything else is on fire. The process of using helium used for leak detection involves introducing helium into a vessel and looking for helium on the other side. The leak detector itself is a portable mass spectrometer. Leak detection and repair is an extremely rare skill set at any meaningful level of quality, depends on extremely specialized equipment, and it's as expensive as it sounds. If there was a better option, this leak detection niche for helium would be an academic novelty.
Anyway, if this helium source is what it claims to be, it's significant - about 60 years of current production.
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nmic/helium-statistics-and-info...
It is currently cheap, but if it's all bled off into space through party balloons and we run low, it's not gonna be cheap any more.
With this news I guess it's not as precious as it was last month...
With this news I guess it's not as precious as it was last month...
This could also help the planned helium cooled nuclear reactors like this one: https://usnc.com/mmr/
I wanna know who selling 87,000-hectares of land for $1
Gas rights for the land, not the land itself
> Natural gas is what Stefano Marani and Nick Mitchell had on their minds when they bought gas rights on this 87,000-hectare piece of land in the Free State province in 2012, for just $1.
How can someone sell the gas rights for just $1? Whatever they find must be worth more, no? Is there a tax involved when someone extracts resources?
How can someone sell the gas rights for just $1? Whatever they find must be worth more, no? Is there a tax involved when someone extracts resources?
> How can someone sell the gas rights for just $1...Is there a tax involved when someone extracts resources?
I don't know anything about South African law, but in my home (Alaska) these rights are typically put up for public auction, and yes, there is a further "severance tax" levied on any production that may eventually occur. The (relatively low) auction price is just to lock in exclusivity, generally for a limited length of time. One reason that the initial leases are low is that the actual amount of gas or oil on the property is generally unknown until you get out there and start drilling holes, or at least doing some seismic mapping.
If you find oil or gas and wind up producing it, you then have to pay taxes on that, but if there's nothing there, you haven't wasted your money.
Not all states have a severance tax, though.
I don't know anything about South African law, but in my home (Alaska) these rights are typically put up for public auction, and yes, there is a further "severance tax" levied on any production that may eventually occur. The (relatively low) auction price is just to lock in exclusivity, generally for a limited length of time. One reason that the initial leases are low is that the actual amount of gas or oil on the property is generally unknown until you get out there and start drilling holes, or at least doing some seismic mapping.
If you find oil or gas and wind up producing it, you then have to pay taxes on that, but if there's nothing there, you haven't wasted your money.
Not all states have a severance tax, though.
Often the resources can be unproven (so a gamble) or uneconomic to extract (so net negative economically), combined with some degree of other liability like taxes, security issues, bad infrastructure that needs replacing, etc.
That can change if it turns out the actual resources are more valuable, easier to extract, or the liabilities can be resolved with significant investment. Sometimes people throw millions at things too, and don’t really break even. We can’t really see their books here, so we don’t know.
That can change if it turns out the actual resources are more valuable, easier to extract, or the liabilities can be resolved with significant investment. Sometimes people throw millions at things too, and don’t really break even. We can’t really see their books here, so we don’t know.
More curious as to why this is making news again now. Renergen and their 12% find has been know for a while. Like two years maybe? Recall toying with the idea of investing
I'm more interested in knowing how do I buy gas rights for 87,000 hectares for $1. Any pointers?
Probably the same way you'd get Steve Jobs to work for you for $1 per year. Have that be part of a much larger package and this is thrown in just to meet the legal requirements of compensation.
It's possible China already owns the rights via their Belt and Road loans.
I spent two years on a motorbike all over Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. I've seen the effect of this first hand.
It isn't pretty.
It isn't pretty.
May I press you for a more detailed anecdote?
China has built railways and roads all the way to Sihanoukville (google this, tons of articles). If you look on a map, this gives them great shipping access to South Africa that doesn't involve dealing with Myanmar or Thailand. It totally destroyed the small town and surrounding area. Turned Sihanoukville into fighting, gambling and whores like straight out of a Western.
In order to do this, they bought up all the land from the locals. To power it all, they built dams along various rivers including the Mekong. Part of it was promises of providing electricity to communities, but it is really just a money grab.
It is all an utter eco disaster. Nobody cares cause it is all "developing nations". Tunnels straight through mountains (or just level them entirely). Zero concern destroyed forests. Buying up all the land from the locals so they could move their own families in and then charge the locals rent.
Property prices got pushed up such that locals can't even afford land in their own country. The dams have screwed up natural water flows so now there are drought and floods. Nam Ngum Reservoir in Laos shows up on Google maps full of blue water, but if you go there, it is empty.
There is interesting economics around USD in Cambodia too... becomes a great place for China to launder USD. They have their own currency, which is conveniently 1:0.25. The rare time you spend local currency, you get change in quarters.
None of this gets much news coverage, but google a bit and you'll find it all. Stuff like this...
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/why-we-no-longer-t...
In order to do this, they bought up all the land from the locals. To power it all, they built dams along various rivers including the Mekong. Part of it was promises of providing electricity to communities, but it is really just a money grab.
It is all an utter eco disaster. Nobody cares cause it is all "developing nations". Tunnels straight through mountains (or just level them entirely). Zero concern destroyed forests. Buying up all the land from the locals so they could move their own families in and then charge the locals rent.
Property prices got pushed up such that locals can't even afford land in their own country. The dams have screwed up natural water flows so now there are drought and floods. Nam Ngum Reservoir in Laos shows up on Google maps full of blue water, but if you go there, it is empty.
There is interesting economics around USD in Cambodia too... becomes a great place for China to launder USD. They have their own currency, which is conveniently 1:0.25. The rare time you spend local currency, you get change in quarters.
None of this gets much news coverage, but google a bit and you'll find it all. Stuff like this...
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/why-we-no-longer-t...
You weren't kidding, the Chinese literally built casinos in Sihanoukville. Imagine Vegas on a small village. Oh wait, that's exactly what happened in Las Vegas (a city found by a railroad) in 1931 when Nevada legalized gambling and the Hoover dam was under construction next door. And then again in 1951 when the US government started literally detonating nukes so close you could watch the mushroom cloud!
I saw a Chinese guy pulling a woman out of a casino by her hair and punching her in the face in the middle of the street. Whole town was nuts and really depressing. Probably the worst place I've ever been in that area.
A building collapsed (due to poor construction)...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48729072
and a few months later...
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-gambling/thousan...
and now it is just a ghost town, which I'm sure is left half finished and a complete mess...
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/a-pandemic-and-gambling-ban-ha...
I went out to Koh Rong Island. It was supposed to be this beautiful place and it was a total dump with garbage everywhere. Sadly it seems I missed it by about 5 years.
None of this bodes well.
And you're right, history repeats itself. This definitely isn't just China.
A building collapsed (due to poor construction)...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48729072
and a few months later...
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-gambling/thousan...
and now it is just a ghost town, which I'm sure is left half finished and a complete mess...
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/a-pandemic-and-gambling-ban-ha...
I went out to Koh Rong Island. It was supposed to be this beautiful place and it was a total dump with garbage everywhere. Sadly it seems I missed it by about 5 years.
None of this bodes well.
And you're right, history repeats itself. This definitely isn't just China.
What were you doing in Cambodia?
I sold everything I owned and moved to Vietnam in 2016 from SF Bay Area. Travel in Cambodia and Laos was obvious, but I took it to a more extreme level by motorbike and living out of hotels and small rentals for 2 years. =) Extremely fortunate to get to the most remote parts of all of those countries and really experience things. Opened my eyes a lot.
From our local articles, it's two guys that got very lucky. No mention of china.
why do you think China is involved here? didn't see anything in the post.
I thought this was maybe due to massive royalties that must have been part of the deal.
I thought this was maybe due to massive royalties that must have been part of the deal.
China has been heavily investing in African countries via a targeted strategic loan program called the Belt and Road initiative[0]. It's entirely possible that China owns the rights to the area via one of these loans.
[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_and_Road_Initiative
[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_and_Road_Initiative
The fact that there are these cities of silicon in our pockets is amazing: https://images.app.goo.gl/qnNSArgbfxPHTyqk7