Organic-based Dissolution of Silicates: A New Approach to Element Extraction from Lunar Regolith

Mathematics – Logic

Scientific paper

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Chemical Composition, Extraction, Lunar Rocks, Minerals, Mining, Silicates, Surface Layers, Comminution, Corrosion, Dissolving, Electrolysis, Fluorine, Geochronology, Hydrofluoric Acid, Melts (Crystal Growth), Meteorite Collisions

Scientific paper

In situ resource utilization is widely recognized to be critical for the establishment of a space-based infrastructure. Terrestrial mining processes are of limited relevance because they assume abundant O2 and water as well as anomalous natural feedstocks ("ores"). In particular, silicate minerals, the most abundant chemical compounds on any rocky planet, are not generally exploited as element sources on Earth despite making up nearly all common rocks. Several processes have been studied experimentally for extraction of elements from lunar regolith, the surface layer consisting of rock comminuted over geologic time by meteorite impact. However, these processes all have serious disadvantages. Direct pyrolysis of silicates or electrolysis of silicate melts are extraordinarily difficult because of the extreme temperatures involved. Although approaches based on dissolution of silicates in hydrofluoric acid (HF) or fluorine avoid this difficulty, they have severe problems due to the extreme toxicity and corrosiveness of HF.

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