tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post1185752559508890755..comments2024-03-24T11:01:27.668-04:00Comments on Resource Insights: Helium is a finite resource—who knew?Kurt Cobbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330759091950742285noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-4201940721779708632019-05-22T23:05:41.432-04:002019-05-22T23:05:41.432-04:00Helium One is not extracting any helium. The compa...Helium One is not extracting any helium. The company is merely exploring for possible reservoirs (typically containing carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen trapped by formations similar to those that trap natural gas). The company believes it has found a substantial resource in Tanzania. I wish them success. But I am skeptical that they will be able to extract helium and refine it at a competitive cost. On the other hand, what "competitive cost" means may ratchet upwards considerably in the years ahead, making it easier to justify the needed infrastructure expenditure which is considerable. The problem that has been dogging those few entrepreneurs who are looking to capitalize on the rising price of helium is whether the significant stores still available from the U.S. helium reserve will be auctioned in a way that drags the price down. It's hard to get long-term investors interested when the long-term price looks subject to periodic downward pressure from an existing reserve.<br /><br />It may be many more years before greater price certainty lures investors into the helium market. By that time, I'm sensing that we will be on a downward supply trajectory that will be hard to recover from.Kurt Cobbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05330759091950742285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-1105049671813580652019-05-21T03:38:00.070-04:002019-05-21T03:38:00.070-04:00It's possible to extract helium from air but t...It's possible to extract helium from air but the cost is ~5-10 times more than current market price (which is already high by historical standards).<br /><br />Any idea what "helium one's" production cost is? Or their N. American competitors? I can't find any details.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-81675335160861105962019-05-21T02:25:42.221-04:002019-05-21T02:25:42.221-04:00As the enemy drew nearer Moscow, instead of the Mu...As the enemy drew nearer Moscow, instead of the Muscovites' view of their situation growing more serious, it became more frivolous, as is always the case with people who see a great danger approaching. At the threat of danger there are always two voices that speak with equal power in the human soul: one quite reasonably tells a man to consider the nature of the danger and the means of averting it; the other still more reasonably, says that it is too depressing and painful to think of the danger, since it is not in man's power to foresee everything and escape from the general march of events, and it is therefore better to disregard what is painful till it comes, and think about what is pleasant.<br />--Leo Tolstoy, War and PeaceMark Robinowitzhttp://www.peakchoice.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-69292854818395177022019-05-20T13:26:55.126-04:002019-05-20T13:26:55.126-04:00Thanks for this. As you rightly point out, most pe...Thanks for this. As you rightly point out, most people seem to think cobalt and other critical materials are abundant, if not infinite. So we have 100%RE scenarios that don’t even mention the need for strategic use, maximizing kg/kWh. That’s unnerving, as RE prices may hit a wall of material constraints, NIMBY against new mines, etc.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08930562084432857513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-68115860948994211132019-05-20T13:21:20.829-04:002019-05-20T13:21:20.829-04:00So true! Depletion of non-renewable resources is a...So true! Depletion of non-renewable resources is a real risk from oil/gas to helium and rare metals. I agree with shastatodd that being concerned about obviously short-sighted, nonsensical and self-destructive human behavior only ruins our day. The best we can do is try to enjoy these remaining good days, building resiliency into our life and vote, vote, vote for candidates who "believe" facts and can make a difference for the future of our planet.Captain Nemohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15706113906651110703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-86162831603964266472019-05-19T23:15:06.105-04:002019-05-19T23:15:06.105-04:00I wish you had included some hard data on the dema...I wish you had included some hard data on the demand and supply situation, and how it has evolved over the years. Since you highlighted the problem in 2009 and again in 2013 we seem to still not be in an emergency now, ten years later.blackTomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247961256570492410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-7612058860044851122019-05-19T13:47:38.864-04:002019-05-19T13:47:38.864-04:00despite legitimate, scientific warnings, humans se...despite legitimate, scientific warnings, humans seem to dismiss concerns about the future, in favor today's party of ignorance and wishful thinking. of course this is unwise and won't end well, but it is a sad reality. <br /><br />look at the legitimate concerns of the depletion of vital, non-renewable resources like hydrocarbons which power everything, or the destruction of our climate and ecosystem, over population or the economic insolvency of our current behavior.<br /><br />it seems that despite the scientific reality, and our ability to predict unfolding problems, human yeast prefer to rapaciously and nonsensically create our own extinction... while promoting magical thinking as a "solution".<br /><br />i shake my head in disbelief, yet being concerned about obviously nonsensical human behavior only ruins my day, so i try to enjoy these remaining good days while building resiliency into my life because it is 100% certain, this will not end well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com