Researchers were able to find large quantities of helium within the Tanzanian East African Rift Valley, by employing a new exploration approach.
According to geologists from Durham and Oxford universities, with world supplies running out, the large helium gas field discovered by scientists in Tanzania is a "game-changer." BBC News reports that helium is used in radiation monitors, telescopes, spacecraft, as well as in hospitals with MRI scanners.
Until now, the precious gas has been discovered only in small quantities, during oil and gas drilling. However, the new resources discovered in the Rift valley are enough to fill over a million medical MRI scanners.
University of Oxford's Department of Earth Sciences Prof Chris Ballentine said that the newly discovered deposit is crucial for the future security of society's helium needs. The professor added that in the future, similar finds "may not be far away." Colleague Dr Pete Barry added that in order to find new helium resources, the same strategy can be applied to other parts of the world that have a similar geological history.
Helium gas forms by the terrestrial rocks' slow and steady radioactive decay. However, in the long term there are warnings that helium supplies can't be guaranteed. Helium global supplies are already running low.
Over the last 15 years, the price of helium has gone up by 500 percent, according to Prof Jon Gluyas of the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University. He added that helium is exceedingly rare on Earth even if it is the second most abundant element in the Universe.
Helium is used in the space industry to clean out rocket engines and keep satellite instruments cool. The gas is also used as a cooling medium for the superconducting magnets in medical MRI scanners and for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Because of its low density, the gas is also used to fill airships, weather balloons and party balloons.
According to Nature World News, the discovery of the massive helium field in Tanzania may mark the end of the world helium shortage. The amount of helium found is estimated at over 54 billion cubic feet. Its exploitation could meet global demand for several years.
