Though abundant in the universe, helium is scarce on earth. It only forms as a product of nuclear fusion and through radioactive decay of uranium and thorium. To be considered for commercial extraction, its concentration must be above 0.3%.
So the folks at Pulsar Helium, Inc., were excited when in February they announced discovery of a new deposit in northern Minnesota: its concentration is extraordinary at 12.4%, and it might be the biggest reserve in North America.
Beyond filling balloons, helium is "a crucial cooling component in rockets, nuclear reactors, superconductors and medical diagnostic equipment, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines."
from Live Science
(cont'd tomorrow)
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