Sources for Helium-3 Isotope Extraction and Prospects of its Development

The article considers the current problem of helium-3 supply constraints for industry and science. The projected 3He shortage is approximately 55000 liters (at 1 atm and 20°С) in the world production market. Tritium is the only industrial 3He source. Alternative sources of 3He are discussed in this paper. Between 25 and 50% of the 3Не shortage could be addressed with natural gas extraction. To obtain high purity 3He gas, low-temperature methods of separation (superfluid filtration, rectification and adsorption) are promising. The 3He lunar mining operation could cover the entire worldwide shortage, but this is not a perspective over the next fifteen-twenty years. The controlled thermonuclear fusion is both an energy source and a new 3He production alternative source. Between 10 and 25% of the 3He shortage could be covered with this technology. The high molar concentration of 3He in the obtained mixtures will make it possible to extract the rare isotope by the method of low-temperature adsorption with subsequent enrichment by the method of low-temperature rectification.