Lunar regolith scientific and mining research

Researchers are investigating the potential of lunar regolith to serve as both a scientific archive and a source for resource extraction. A study led by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa suggests that because the Moon lacks an atmosphere and tectonic activity, its soil undergoes a process called “impact gardening” where meteorites mix and bury material.

Scientists have developed a mathematical model to reconstruct cosmic history by accounting for soil compaction, radioactive decay, and meteorite impacts. This model aims to identify when interstellar material arrived on the lunar surface, specifically looking for radioactive isotopes like iron-60 that are linked to supernova explosions. Previous research identified major influxes of such material approximately 2.3 million and 7.3 million years ago, but new models may allow for the reconstruction of records dating back 80 million to 100 million years.

Parallel to these scientific findings, advancements in lunar resource processing have been reported. The startup Interlune has successfully simulated 15,000 years of solar radiation exposure in four hours using helium plasma. This process recreates microscopic defects in ilmenite, which could facilitate future off-world mining and the trapping of volatile gases.