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In fact, helium is such a mundane resource the US has been getting rid of its national helium reserves[1]. And before anyone says "god damn conservatives", thi
by Dalewyn 3y ago
In fact, helium is such a mundane resource the US has been getting rid of its national helium reserves[1].
And before anyone says "god damn conservatives", this has been going on across the aisle and is ongoing as we speak. Getting rid of helium is a truly bipartisan agenda.
All of this to say: The claims of helium's value have been greatly exaggerated.
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Helium_Reserve https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Helium_Reserve
- HarryHirsch 3y agoWe all thought it was a bad idea, shutting down the Helium Reserve.
- thsksbd 3y agoWho's we?
- HarryHirsch 3y agoUs chemists and physicists - helium is a nonrenewable resource, and the sudden supply shock encouraged wasteful behaviour.
- lettergram 3y agoBut one we have a lot of access to lol > Fortunately for us, helium also gets into the natural gas that oil and gas drillers extract from the ground for use as fuel [source: University of Pittsburgh]. That gives us a supply that we can use for blowing up balloons, as well as for a wide variety of other industrial processes, ranging from arc welding to MRIs to manufacturing silicon chips for computers. There has to be a certain amount of helium in the natural gas — at least 0.3 percent by volume – to justify all the trouble of separating it from natural gas. https://science.howstuffworks.com/question12.htm https://science.howstuffworks.com/question12.htm
- thsksbd 3y agoThose chemists and physicists who don't know most He is just dumped without any care in CH4 production.