“Red Gold”
Red Gold operations flow. Figure 4 in Stewart 2021.
Practical “Red Gold” methods aim to enable Martian precious-metal industry via in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and open-air saltwater refining, without use of pressure vessels. These methods raise the possibility of scalable mining operations initiated prior to settlement, even concurrently with establishment of the first crewed Mars base, circa 2030.
Arguably, Mars presents the foremost space mining possibility. The Red Gold design for pure precious metal production is merely illustrative, but it is presently the design most quickly and easily implemented beyond Earth.
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Google Books preview: Terraforming Mars Wiley-Scrivener’s 2022 release of Terraforming Mars presents the latest design for “Red Gold” Martian precious-metal industry by G. Stewart, the contact for the Lake Matthew Team. See Chapter 17, pp. 389-414. The chapter manuscript PDF is available from the author upon request. |
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Stewart, G., 2021. Red Gold – Practical Methods for Precious-Metal Survey, Open-Pit Mining, and Open-Air Refining on Mars. Terraforming Mars, p.389. Abstract: New technology has enabled a global survey of Martian surficial nickel-iron meteoric ore deposits, a survey with direct application to Martian precious-metal mining claims. Mars’ history of low-speed asteroid impacts and its enrichment in highly siderophile elements suggest the presence of commercial precious-metal ore within some impact craters. Given a positive future survey result, a first Mars base, such as SpaceX’s “Mars Base Alpha”, may be sited in a metal-rich crater, to function from the outset as a mining camp. Here an automated facility can leverage existing technologies and common Martian resources to extract and refine metals. This “Red Gold” facility can operate in open air, without pressure vessels, and using very little consumable cargo from Earth. Presented methods illustrate a practical Red Gold process, end-to-end. A foundry can output sintered and 3D printed alloy products. A refinery can output not just bullion, but also 3D printed fine jewelry. Daily gold production of 0.001 cubic meters, plus all concomitant precious-metal products, can give annual revenue of some tens of billions of dollars – startup revenue sufficient for self-financed geometric mine growth. A growing mine could underwrite Martian research, city-scale settlements, and possibly even terraformation efforts; however, the character of ventures may hinge upon mine ownership, hence upon claims. If a totalitarian regime were to secure the claims, ventures would bear an indelible totalitarian stamp; therefore, a rapid American survey is recommended and outlined. |
