Is There a Significant Helium Source in Yellowstone National Park?
Helium is a valuable element used in various advanced applications such as superconductors, rockets, and airships, but it is not readily available. Recent findings of helium deposits free from carbon in Tanzania and Minnesota have spurred scientists to develop techniques for identifying similar reservoirs worldwide. A new study examines three geothermal regions globally, including Yellowstone in the U.S., to devise methods for pinpointing these valuable helium sources. Despite helium being abundant in the universe, it is scarce on Earth. It is a crucial component in applications like rocket cooling, medical devices such as MRI machines, and superconducting magnets in fusion reactors. Helium is also favored as a lifting gas in the airship industry. The U.S. previously maintained a strategic helium reserve but recently sold it off. While helium is usually a byproduct of natural gas, which contributes to climate change, recent discoveries suggest the existence of fossil fuel-free helium caches. Notable examples include the discovery of an underground helium reserve in Tanzania in 2016 and an additional deposit in Minnesota in 2024. A recent study published in the International Geology Review focuses on Yellowstone, Bakreswar-Tantloi in eastern India, and the Rukwa Rift in southwestern Tanzania as potential sites for climate-friendly helium deposits. The study suggests that Yellowstone, known for its geothermal activity, could be a promising location for carbon-free helium reserves. The area’s high heat flow is essential for releasing helium atoms from deep rocks. Yellowstone’s Wyoming Craton, containing 3.5-billion-year-old rocks, is suitable for helium production, as helium is typically generated from uranium and thorium decay over billions of years. The study emphasizes the importance of maintaining a temperature above the “closure temperature” in targeted areas to release helium stored in rocks and crystals. This research aims to enhance the search for carbon-free helium reserves and highlights the significance of geothermally active regions for helium release.
The study suggests that extreme thermal conditions are not the primary factor in releasing radiogenic helium; instead, it is the achievement of thermal conditions above closure levels for most helium-retentive minerals. The authors propose that these findings offer a new perspective for understanding and evaluating helium potential in similar tectonic environments worldwide.
According to Live Science, it is improbable that Yellowstone National Park holds a trapped reservoir of helium, as the region functions as an extensive underground conduit system allowing helium to escape easily. Approximately 66 tons of helium are estimated to leak from the park’s hot springs annually. However, the areas surrounding Yellowstone may be retaining carbon-free helium in substantial deposits, a notion the authors find very promising.
The recent discoveries in Tanzania and Minnesota suggest that identifying sources of pure helium on Earth is feasible. The crucial initial step is knowing where to focus the search.
