Canada's ancient rocks emit natural white hydrogen, a clean energy prospect

Geochemists from the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa have for the first time captured and measured sustained emissions of natural “white hydrogen” from billion‑year‑old rock formations in the Canadian Shield. The study, conducted in an active mine near Timmins, Ontario, monitored dozens of boreholes and found that the site’s 15,000 boreholes could collectively discharge over 140 tonnes of hydrogen per year – enough to generate roughly 4.7 million kilowatt‑hours annually, sufficient to meet the energy needs of more than 400 households.

The hydrogen is produced naturally through underground chemical reactions between rocks and groundwater, requiring no fossil fuels or renewable electricity. Researchers suggest the resource could be tapped locally by mining operations or regional industry hubs, offering a domestic, low‑carbon alternative to industrial hydrogen that presently relies on fossil‑based or expensive green production methods. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 18.