Mining in space analog habitats - Julio Rezende - 2021 Mars Society Virtual Convention
Track Code: AM-10 Abstract: One of main topics about In Situ Resource Utilization on Mars and Moon it is related to mining. This research presents some challenges related how to learn to mine in small scale, also identifying equipment just available to be used in analog habitats on Earth. According to Cashman (2021), both surface and underground mining have three main steps: 1. Extraction: This involves drilling, blasting, or digging to remove materials from the mine site. 2. Material handling: This includes sorting and loading materials to either go to a waste area or the processing site. 3. Material processing: The final step involves grinding, separating, crushing, refining, and smelting mined ore or other goods at an off-site plant to turn them into finished products. In terms about mining in small scale, normally, the exploration considers take soil and rock samples and transport to a laboratory. For this research it is proposed an analog mission using portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) and spectrometers devices to analyze rock and soil in situ. This methodology provides effective and fast results, the heterogeneity of samples in some mineral deposits. Also to mine in some special places in the World it is necessary identify the legal aspects related to environmental licenses, but also portable tools and equipment for it. This research present some of equipment and necessary challenges in terms of engineering to be used in space habitats. There is a lot of challenges in engineering to create a small mining plant to extract minerals under a space analog simulation following protocols to analog missions also observing how the use would be adapted to future space missions on Mars and Moon. From the 24th Annual International Mars Society Convention, held as a Virtual Convention worldwide on the Internet from October 14-17, 2021. The four-day International Mars Society Convention, held every year since 1998, brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org #MarsSociety #MarsSocCon2021
