Theoretical Design to Provide On-Site Resources for Moon Operations

The Space Lab EcoMine will "offer an environmentally safe and more profitable way to obtain building materials needed for Lunar development", using bioleaching and photosynthesis to recover minerals and continuously recycle air and nutrients.

EcoMine will, if it results as promised, be more energy efficient than traditional mining approaches used on earch, not needing chemical washes or high-intensity smelting to sift desired minerals and elements from the lunar regolith. A circuitous recycling system will allow EcoMine operators to make the most of the resources they have on-site, and should defray any need to have continuous chemical shipments sent out from earth.

Principal Investigator Christine Escobar said the plan is quite promising, saying “EcoMine™ is a major step towards a viable, sustainable Lunar economy and a blueprint for more environmentally friendly mineral mining on Earth.”

For now, however, EcoMine plans remain quite tentative in Phase 1. Space Lab will focus its efforts on developing an early-stage proof of concept to demonstrate the feasibility of the project. If funded, then they will one day move on to build a pilot plant on the moon (not anytime soon).

FMI: www.spacelabtech.com