Objectives of the service
MIRORES develops an innovative far-IR spectrometer for remote detection of sulfide and oxide ores and proposes prospection services for Earth and space environments. It is the first device of its kind: the 20-35 μm range has not been used for remote prospection due to high water content in Earth’s atmosphere, obstructing the signal. Therefore the instrument is particularly suited for planetary prospection (Lunar and Martian), but it can be used also in arid and polar environments on Earth, on UAV flying at altitudes between 20 and 150 m.
The proposed service for Earth UAV prospection answers the demand for resources, such as iron, copper, rare earth elements or platinum group minerals. Recent studies show that this demand surges due to the transition into zero-carbon economy. New deposits are exposed by recessing glaciers in the areas suitable for MIRORES operations: Greenland, Northern Europe, Canada, Alaska, South America or high mountains.
The developed space service is a demonstration of the potential of space-originating resources to supplement the supply of resources for zero-carbon transition. It engages Earth mining industry into space resources exploitation and new energy resources (helium-3 and pyrite)
Both services are linked to an extensive package of analytical and consulting services.
Users and their needs
MIRORES client groups:
Client Group 1: Mining companies searching for new resource deposits or monitoring open pit mines - a direct user of UAV prospecting data, mining progress data and ore-related geological consulting services.
Client Group 2: Mining consulting companies creating investment strategies - an indirect user of UAV prospecting data, mining progress data and ore-related geological consulting services, integrating and selling these data and services further to mining companies.
Client Group 3: Prospecting/surveying companies - companies of a profile similar to MIRORES but lacking specific expertise in sulfides and oxides, and far-IR prospection, instruments and methods, purchasing MIRORES data acquisition and analysis services to extend their own offer towards their own clients 1 and 2.
Client Group 4: Public registry bodies - direct user of UAV prospecting data, possibly with geological consulting services. In case of the emerging space resources registration, might be interested in purchasing the whole space offer of MIRORES (space prospection and specialised consulting).
Client Group 5: Space mining development/analog companies - users of data acquisition platform system and of specialised geological services for planning, testing and validating their own space-focused systems in development. In this group also users of space prospecting data are included.
Service/ system concept
MIRORES provides fast, safe, low carbon prospecting and open pit mine monitoring service for Earth clients. Using an UAV is safer for the operators, especially in remote polar and mountain areas. It makes the prospection and monitoring faster, and decarbonizes the process by limiting the distances travelled by the prospection team with the use of vehicles to the site, day by day.
Furthermore the MIRORES team offers a package of soft services around its core UAV mapping service. They include sample spectroscopy testing (a detectability test and ore grade test) with the use of a lab version of the MIRORES instrument, geological modelling and data analytics, and also value chain consulting based on new deposits, including space resources.
Furthermore, far IR spectrum has never been used for remote prospection before, so it can be expected that a new dimension of imaging of the existing deposits can provide new, and fuller insight and new data, especially in relation to other prospection methods.
Space Added Value
Far-IR ore prospecting is especially relevant to Moon and Mars, where no atmospheric water obstructs the signal in the 20-35 μm range. In this range sulfide and oxide ores show particularly good spectral features. The Earth service aims to map new resource deposits on Earth, to provide a sustainable business foundation for future space prospecting, to allow upgrade of the Earth instrument hardware to space-grade hardware and to engage Earth mining companies and investors into the space resources utilization. The soft services offered by MIRORES encourage looking for new value chains capable of providing Earth industry with all the resources necessary for transition into zero-carbon economy. In the context of Lunar exploration MIRORES prepares a campaign for mapping the optimum concentrations of Lunar ilmenite and troilite ores, being a source of oxygen, iron, titanium for utilization on the Moon. These deposits can also be a source of helium-3 and synthesized pyrite for production of clean energy for Moon and Earth, with the use of emerging technologies of nuclear fusion and space-based photovoltaics.
Current Status
The enabling study is completed, with first pilot UAV service deployed, lab analytics service and expert consulting deployed. The consortium has established a dedicated spin-off MIRORES Mining Data Services Sp. z o.o., incorporated under ESA BIC Poland. The profile of the startup will be to integrate MIRORES sensor data with other types of available geological data (including in-situ, aerial and satellite data for terrestrial resources; and Lunar orbiter data from past and upcoming Lunar missions from ESA and POLSA for the Lunar resources). The platform will allow easy distribution of terrestrial and Lunar resource data, access to spectral library and analytical tools for mining operations planning and monitoring, as well as planning of the UAV prospection services.
