In a potentially groundbreaking discovery, a significant helium deposit has been unearthed in Minnesota, which could be one of the largest in the world, as reported by WCCO-TV in Minneapolis.
The drilling site, located just outside Babbitt in the northeastern region of the state, reached a depth of 2,200 feet within a month of breaking ground.
Pulsar Helium CEO, Thomas Abraham-James, described the discovery as "a dream." He told WCCO, "There was a lot of screaming, a lot of hugging and high fives. Its nice to know the efforts all worked out and we pulled it off." The helium concentration found at the site was 12.4 percent, nearly 30 times the industry standard, and even surpassed the company's projections. "12.4% is just a dream. Its perfect," Abraham-James stated.
This finding corroborates research conducted in 2011, which suggested the presence of helium deep beneath the surface, according to the Duluth News Tribune. Typically, companies seek helium concentrations above 0.3 percent. "So now the real hard begins to find out what is it truly that we have and the size of the prize," Abraham-James told the News Tribune.
The company estimates that determining the size of the deposit and the feasibility of a full-scale mining operation could take up to a year. The drilling site, known as the Topez Project, was initially planned to reach a depth of 2,250 feet. However, due to unusually warm temperatures and impending road weight restrictions, drilling had to be halted prematurely.
A device resembling a "glorified fire hydrant" will be installed over the hole for further sampling and testing, as per Abraham-James. The area's helium potential was first identified in 2011 by a crew from Duluth Metals, who were searching for platinum-palladium metals.
Helium has a wide range of applications, from inflating balloons to serving as an effective coolant in its liquid form. "Its used in everything from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, semiconductor manufacturing and leak testing, to air tanks for medical patients and deep-sea divers, to aerospace and defense industries," the News Tribune notes.
Republican state Rep. Roger Skraba hailed the discovery as a boon for the region's economy. "This is outstanding news for the region as we continue to look at ways to diversify our local economy," he said. "I look forward to working with state regulators to make sure that helium drilling can proceed here in Northern Minnesota safely and effectively. Helium is an incredibly important gas that is needed for a variety of modern products, and I am hopeful that we can source this gas and process it right here in the Northland in the very near future," he added.
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