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Moon Could Harbor $1 Trillion in Platinum, Study Suggests
Up to 6,500 lunar craters may contain valuable platinum-group metals, offering a richer and more accessible source than near-Earth asteroids, researchers say.
- A 2025 study led by astrophysicist Jayanth Chennamangalam found that nearly 6,500 lunar craters could contain commercial quantities of platinum-group metals.
- The study models asteroid impacts on the moon, showing it as a richer and more accessible source than near-Earth asteroids, while legal frameworks remain unsettled.
- These platinum-group metals include platinum, palladium, and rhodium, with potential deposits worth over one trillion dollars spread across craters larger than one kilometer.
- Rebecca Connolly highlighted the importance of addressing unresolved issues within the 1967 Outer Space Treaty to establish transparent and equitable guidelines for resource extraction as private space mining advances.
- The findings imply significant economic opportunities in lunar mining that could advance space exploration but also highlight unresolved legal and governance challenges.
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17 Articles
17 Articles
New research suggests that vast reserves of platinum may be hidden in the craters of the Moon. The discovery could revolutionize space mining.
·Budapest, Hungary
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources17
Leaning Left4Leaning Right3Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Center
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources are Center
42% Center
L 33%
C 42%
R 25%
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