Natural resource exploration is the systematic investigation and characterization of subsurface or surface environments to identify economically exploitable concentrations of geological, mineral, energy, or water resources. It integrates geoscientific disciplines such as geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and remote sensing to detect anomalies indicative of ore bodies, hydrocarbons, geothermal reservoirs, or aquifers. Typical workflows involve regional reconnaissance, conceptual geological modeling, acquisition and interpretation of geophysical and geochemical datasets, followed by targeted drilling or sampling to validate resource presence, grade, volume, and continuity. The process underpins resource assessment, reserve estimation, and feasibility studies that support subsequent development, extraction, and management decisions.
What steps can be taken to enhance in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) for future astronauts on Mars? This is what a recent study presented at the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference hopes to address as an international ...
Space Exploration
May 16, 2025
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55
"Elbows up" means many things today in Canada, including using the country's rich natural resources more effectively to support a strong, independent economy that benefits people and society.
Environment
May 12, 2025
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22
Scientists and space explorers have been on the hunt to determine where and how much ice is present on the moon. Water ice would be an important resource at a future lunar base, as it could be used to support humans or be ...
Planetary Sciences
Apr 23, 2025
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62
Helium-3 (He-3) on the moon's surface has drawn attention for decades. In 1939, a paper first noted the presence of Helium-3 on the moon. Still, it really came into the collective consciousness of space resource enthusiasts ...
Space Exploration
Mar 18, 2025
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50
A drill to search for ice. A 4G network test. Three rovers and a first-of-its-kind hopping drone.
Space Exploration
Mar 6, 2025
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53
NASA's Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) is preparing to explore the moon's subsurface and analyze where lunar resources may reside.
Space Exploration
Feb 13, 2025
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39
Cracking the chicken-and-egg problem of utilizing resources in space has been a difficult challenge for over half a century. Getting enough infrastructure built up is necessary to collect those resources effectively, but ...
Space Exploration
Jan 3, 2025
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35
Deposits of ice in lunar dust and rock (regolith) are more extensive than previously thought, according to a new analysis of data from NASA's LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) mission. Ice would be a valuable resource for ...
Planetary Sciences
Oct 3, 2024
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91
A team of researchers is working on a multidisciplinary approach to advancing the exploration of shale rock as a suitable geological seal for resource recovery and underground storage. Given that the pore space in shale rock ...
General Physics
Aug 15, 2024
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110
