Accumulated alpha particles from radioactive decay collecting in gas trapping rock formations. Basically a non-renewable resource after we have worked through available supplies of shale gas.
Helium can be extracted from the atmosphere - about 5ppm, but will probably cost ~$5000/kg. Nuclear reactors make a relatively tiny amount, but may be useful when we run out. As this is not really going to be a problem for 100's to 1000's of year yet, we can probably economically scoop-mining Saturn or Jupiter with a fusion powered tanker, though it will cost a lot more than current prices. For a lot of cryogenic applications Hydrogen (14K melting temp) or Neon (24k melting temp) can be used instead of Helium, particularly as high temp superconductors are more widely adopted. For lift gases we will have to use hydrogen, methane or neon (renewable from atmosphere) instead. Neon would be fine for party balloons, will cost a few dollars per balloon, and won't leak away as quickly, so not really much worse than Helium. I doubt it is worthwhile anyone investing in large scale bulk storage of Helium as speculative investment. Though if LENR replaces Natural Gas then cheap Helium will run out much sooner. On 24 September 2012 08:00, Moab Moab <moab2...@googlemail.com> wrote: > from the article: > > Helium is extracted from deep underground, where deposits of the gas > have built up. > > pray tell us, how did the helium deposits get there ? > > On Mon, Sep 24, 2012 at 2:07 AM, Jeff Berkowitz <pdx...@gmail.com> wrote: > > The world faces an unimaginable fate: the demise of the helium balloon. > > > > http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19676639 > > > > Only LENR can save us! > > > > ;-) > > Jeff > > > >
