NASA Prepares Aircraft to Search Critical Minerals Essential for Clean Energy Industries

NASA and the US Geological Survey are ready to help the Biden administration build up American clean energy industries. Both agencies will deploy an aircraft to spot critical minerals buried across the southwest US.

GEMx Project

The collaborative research project is known as GEMx. CNBC reported that it would get off the ground with $16 million in funding made possible by last year's bipartisan infrastructure law. NASA's ER-2 and Gulfstream V aircraft will fly over regions of California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico over the next five years to gather data that may reveal where vital mineral resources are most plentiful.

Both aircraft will be equipped with NASA's Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS). The system will gather hyperspectral data from light reflected off the Earth's surface in the visible to infrared range. It is also a strong remote sensing tool for high altitudes. With the aid of these instruments, it is possible to identify each mineral's unique spectral signature, resulting from its slightly different light reflection. The mine waste and unmined areas of the earth are the spots that the agencies plan to search.

Clean Energy Objectives

According to The Verge, the project's objective is to locate the best sources of minerals critical to the US national security and economy. Lithium, nickel, and cobalt are all essential for producing rechargeable batteries, which are used to store renewable energy and power electric vehicles, according to the US's current list of critical minerals. Additionally, tellurium, graphite, and the rare-earth metal scandium are used in fuel cells, solar cells, and other energy-producing technologies.

Over the next few decades, as governments work to transition to clean energy economies, the demand for critical minerals is anticipated to skyrocket on a global scale. For instance, six times as many mineral resources are needed to produce an electric vehicle than a gas-guzzler. A lack of minerals, whether from mining or increased recycling, could prevent the development of clean energy goals.

Biden Administration on Clean Energy

Building up domestic supply chains for clean energy technologies and the raw materials required to make batteries, turbines, and solar panels is a top priority for the Biden administration. In March, Biden used the Defense Production Act to increase domestic mining and processing of vital minerals used in the clean energy sector. Additionally, the administration has distributed millions of dollars in mineral exploration, mining, and processing funding.

Currently, only a few nations mine and process the highly sought-after materials used in clean energy. China produces the majority of the components for solar panels, for example. The White House has warned that doing so runs the risk of supply chain bottlenecks and raises issues regarding national security, which is why the government is searching for mineral resources within US borders.

According to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, this innovative new endeavor is just one illustration of the Biden-Harris Administration's dedication to a future powered by sustainable energy. He stated that NASA's extensive record of Earth observation demonstrates how the globe is adjusting to climate change. The initiative builds on a 60-year tradition and can point us in the direction of the resources needed to facilitate the transition of our economy to one based on renewable energy. He continued that in building these Earth observation systems to acquire data to evaluate and monitor the environment and climate change, NASA has taken the lead alongside the USGS.

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