Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Mining quarry in asteroid can make residents in Earth wealthy. Unmitigated, the wealth that can be obtained from the asteroid mining can reach US $ 100 billion or equivalent to Rp. 1.4 quadrillion.
Quotes EIGHT, asteroids can indeed be a source of mineral mining needed by humans. This is because the demand for metal materials continues to increase while supplies on Earth are limited. So what minerals can be mined from asteroids?
Asteroids themselves generally consist of three types:
1. Type C (carbon) asteroids
This asteroid has a fairly abundant water content. C-type asteroids also have large amounts of organic carbon, phosphorus, and other key ingredients for fertilizers that can be used to grow plants.
2. S type asteroids (silicate minerals)
This type of asteroid contains more metal and less water. The metals contained in these asteroids are nickel, cobalt, and more precious metals, such as gold, platinum, and rhodium.
A small 10 meter S-type asteroid contains about 650 tons of metal with 50 kg in the form of rare metals such as platinum and gold.
3. Asteroid tipe-M (moderat)
These asteroids are rare but contain up to 10 times more metal compared to S-type asteroids.
Data about each person on Earth can get Rp. 1.4 quadrillion from mining the asteroid belt that is between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, according to NASA’s narrative, as reported CNBC.
However, the potential wealth that can be explored by Earth’s inhabitants is currently hampered by technological advances to travel to space and mine there.
However, there are currently several early missions trying to explore mining in outer space. The Japanese Space Exploration Agency, JAXA, undertook the Hayabusa and Hayabusa2 missions to try to bring asteroid samples back to Earth.
A NASA mission is currently underway with OSIRIS-REx to sample asteroid 101955 Bennu, which is planned to weigh 60 grams. So, you can imagine how much profit if the technology to mine asteroids can be realized.
Mining asteroids is claimed to be richer than selling meteor rocks that fall to Earth.
Some time ago, Indonesia was shocked by meteor stones that could sell up to hundreds of millions. On August 1, 2020, a 1.8 kilogram meteor rock fell on the house of Joshua Hutagalung (34) in Satahi Nauli Village, Kolang, Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra.
The stone that fell during the day and left the roof of Joshua’s house perforated was successfully sold for Rp. 200 million to Jay Piatek, 53, a meteorite hunter from the United States. The purchase was made through an intermediary Jared Collins, a US citizen who lives in Bali to meet Joshua and buy the meteorite.
The term trillionaire was made by an astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Of course, this designation is in the context of the United States dollar currency, so if it is converted to rupiah, it is possible that asteroid miners will become quadrillionaires.
Because, in the US at this time the richest people are still in the range of billionaires. Jeff Bezos, who became the world’s richest person from the US, has just collected US$202 billion (Rp2.8 quadrillion; exchange rate of Rp. 14,299.7).
(from / DAL)
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