ABSTRACT

The lunar surface is extremely harsh and current mineral processing and metal extraction technologies are not adequately equipped to address this environment. In this paper, we review the metals available for extraction and conditions at the lunar surface, and analyze the challenges associated with comminution, beneficiation, and metal extraction operations. The potential beneficial effects of the natural lunar conditions are also evaluated. This investigation concludes that process plant design on the lunar surface will favor lightweight, schematically simple flow sheets that enable automation, and that utilize the local environment wherever possible. The elimination of traditional comminution and beneficiation stages and their replacement with basic classification could be economically favorable. The most promising metal reduction pathways are identified as molten regolith electrolysis, and vacuum thermal dissociation, other processes with merit are hydrogen reduction, carbothermal reduction, and solid electrolysis. Finally, it is identified that a significant research effort in all areas of astrometallurgy will be required before industrial-sized extra-terrestrial mineral processing and metal extraction operations will be viable.

摘要

月球表面极其恶劣，目前的矿物加工和金属提取技术不足以应对这种环境。在本文中，我们回顾了可用于提取的金属和月球表面的条件，并分析了与粉碎、选矿和金属提取操作相关的挑战。还评估了自然月球条件的潜在有益影响。这项调查得出的结论是，月球表面的加工厂设计将有利于实现自动化并尽可能利用当地环境的轻量级、示意性简单的流程图。取消传统的粉碎和选矿阶段并用基本分类代替它们可能在经济上是有利的。最有希望的金属还原途径被确定为熔融表土电解和真空热解，其他具有优点的工艺是氢还原、碳热还原和固体电解。最后，确定在工业规模的地外矿物加工和金属提取操作可​​行之前，需要在天体冶金的所有领域进行重大研究。