ABC focuses on helium problems

The parlous state of Australia’s helium supplies has come into focus at the national broadcaster, ABC.

With no domestic supply currently and international markets reduced by a third because of the Iran war, the ABC has dived into the helium problem in a lengthy article, and radio and TV coverage.

It highlights high helium demand for microchips and semiconductors and the links to expansion of data centres and artificial intelligence.

The ABC looks into the potential in Australia for both natural helium and capturing helium as an off-take from LNG production.

Eric May of the Future Energy Export Cooperative Research Centre estimates helium is likely to be present in commercial quantities in up to six of Australia's 10 natural gas plants.

Meanwhile, Gold Hydrogen’s Neil McDonald features in the article, highlighting its upcoming plans to conduct new flow testing on its South Australia tenement, with a view to fast-tracking commercial helium.

"We found the world's best purities in helium at 36.9 per cent, and it's extraordinary," Mr McDonald says.

Prof May leads the calls to have helium listed as a critical mineral by the Australian Government.

"It's a bit of a strange mineral in the sense that it's a gas, but it is definitely critical to modern society," Professor May says.

"We should be incentivising its production and recovery as much as we possibly can."

Gold Hydrogen supports those calls and has met with Government over it.

The full ABC article can be found here: Push for Australia to extract helium gas as Middle East war impacts global supply - ABC News

And for the audio version played on ABC radio stations, go to: Iran War impacts global helium supply - ABC listen