Mining in the outer space – a future for the environment or just a dream?

In this report, I would like to write about something which includes my both passions – environment and new technologies. I think the combination of those topics might bring great improvements and present fantastic solutions to current issues.

If mining is conducted in an unsustainable way, it might have negative impact on the environment. When a mine is introduced to the environment, it might significantly change the habitat, and therefore affect the biodiversity of the location. Furthermore, involvement in the structure of the soil might cause erosion, as well as may affect its pH, which influences the microorganism living there (1).

Many people do their best to reduce the side effect of mining on the environment by the introduction of laws and restrictions, which ensure the surrounding will be save. However, is it possible to reduce the influence of human activity to zero? The answer to this question might be space mining. At the first sight, using resources from the outer space might sound as a science fiction story, however, with the technological advances, it might be possible in the foreseeable future. Such activities involve obtaining raw materials from asteroids, or planets in the Earth's surrounding (2).

Its main advantage, in the field of sustainability, is primarily the lack of effect on the Earth?s environment. All the activities are replaced to another site, somewhere in the space. No animals, plants and habitats are endangered by possible chemical leakages and the overall human activity. What is more, considering the soaring demands for resources due to the increasing world population, the resources available at the moment on Earth are systematically decreasing (4). Obtaining resource from outer space bodies might be the only answer to provide sufficient amounts of resources necessary for the population to survive. Also, obtaining noble metals required for construction of many electronic devices or health care will be also possible with mining the space.  Moreover, asteroids might provide a good source of water, which is both necessary for the astronauts in the outer space and might act as a raw material for fuel production for spacecraft (5). Each of us also needs water to drink, to conserve sanitation – it is literally part of us. We are going to need it forever. Maybe in the future it will be possible to bring water to the Earth's surface to satisfy increasing needs of the population and lessen the water crisis?

On the other hand, although space mining will not affect the Earth's environment, it will certainly have an impact on the surface of the asteroid or other planets. As Earth is the part of space, we also belong there. By affecting them, we unwittingly affect our world. In addition, such activities involve very high costs (6), which might make it difficult to popularize space mining as a replacement of traditional solutions.  

Certainly, as usual there are some advantages and disadvantages of a solution. However, I believe it is always worth taking a closer look into the possibilities provided by the technology, which might help us conserve the environments. Before their introduction, we should always think about their pros and cons. The presented idea is still in the process of development, but a rising interest of the industry has been observed.  Innovations and creativity are great ways to build a more sustainable reality and we should try using them whenever it is possible.

References:

(1)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_mining

(2)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining#Purpose

(3)  https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a20195040/should-we-be-really-be-mining-in-space/

(4)  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/oct/29/climatechange-endangeredhabitats

(5)  https://www.iflscience.com/space/technique-could-allow-us-harvest-water-asteroids/

(6)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining